'The Gallopers' Carousel, Promenade
1 sound
The next stop is ‘The Gallopers’ carousel situated on The Promenade just in front of Funland. This area of Southport is where the amusements and entertainments that are a big part of the town’s history begin. Run by Silcocks, it was built in 1896 during the reign of Queen Victoria and still echoes the tastes and sensibilities of the time. The ride consists of 33 horses and 3 cockerels all painted in bright colours with Fleur-de-Lys designs typical of the era. To the centre of the carousel are mirrored panels and an organ complete with animated figures. This plays the well-known tunes that you will be able to hear in the background of the recording. It is covered so can be open most of the year and is still enjoyed by people of all ages.
In our third recording, Lawrence Arthur Clifford reminisces about the entertainments around this area. When he was lucky enough to go on a trip to Southport he enjoyed things like the ventriloquists, Punch and Judy show, rock sellers and building sandcastles. These would all have been situated around The Promenade and a little further down nearer the beach.
Recording ref - UAP014/12 S2 (BOLTON/11a) – Lawrence Arthur Clifford - ©️ Bolton Library and Museum Services
Image ref - NSP4662 – Punch and Judy show, 1952 - ©️ Sefton Libraries Information Services courtesy of Sefton Looking Back - Image Archive
