Wednesday 25 March 2009

THE FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN AND MORE FANCY DRESS


I accidently erased this blog and have had to re-install it. Unfortunately, I have also erased the comments that were kindly left for me. I apologise for this and if possible would appreciate the comments being re-instated. Thank you.



THE FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN

The Highlight of 1951 was the Festival of Britain, built one hundred years after ‘The Great Victorian Exhibition of 1851’. There were many facets to the festival. The Pleasure Gardens, a huge fun fair, a tree walk, The Dome of Discovery and, of course, the world famous ‘Skylon’, a futuristic structure which appeared to have no visible means of support. This magnificent and prize winning structure was sold for scrap in 1952 (the following year).






All this was an enormous feat of design and technology, and intended to show the world how well we had picked up the pieces and recovered from World War ll. The Royal Family, heads of state, and millions of tourists visited the Battersea Pleasure Gardens.
Hoping to get the public into a festive mood, the organisers announced that there was to be a huge fancy dress night at the Pleasure Gardens. The entrance fee would be waived for any person arriving at the turnstile in fancy dress costume; the Leach’s and Chapman’s needed no second bidding, and immediately organised a large group.
Aunty Minnie, Ruby and her son, Mummy and Daddy, Arthur’s brother and Arthur and I, and several friends made up a large party, and let ourselves loose on the London Underground, bound for Battersea. Dad this time became ‘Old Mother Riley’, and stole the show.
Much to Arthur’s embarrassment, and everyone else’s joy, his brother dressed as a Romany gypsy, strapped his piano accordion on and serenaded us all during the underground tube journey and at the Festival.
When we arrived, we discovered that hardly another soul had made the effort to dress up. We didn’t care, it was still a lot of fun, and the Press was pleased that we’d entered into the spirit of the occasion. They interviewed us and took our names, and a group photograph duly appeared in the next day’s newspaper.

The only part of the Festival of Britain still surviving is, of course, The Festival hall on the South Bank.
Although we threw lots of parties and enjoyed dressing up, I must admit that we did change our party tastes after a couple of years of married life. This was solely down to the couple that had the flat above ours at Oakfield road. He was about fifteen years younger than his partner and they lived together many years, later marrying.
They had a circle of about a dozen or so close friends who they often brought home after an evening out, or sometimes instead of going out. Rather than have the inconvenience of guests tip-toeing past our bedroom door on the way to the loo, they would ask if we would like to join the party. We really came to love their get-togethers, and our taste in parties changed from then on. Our hosts would have little dishes of nuts and crisps and sausage rolls lying around, the drinks were plentiful and generous, the lights were turned low and the music was classy. It was all very intimate and we all got quietly, slowly and sedately drunk as, arms entwined around each other’s necks, we danced into the small hours. Pure magic!

11 comments:

weechuff said...

Personally, I prefer the previous type of party. They were great!

Swubird said...

Granny:

Ah yes, those were the days. I remember them well. Our next door neighbor was always throwing parties and they'd tap on our door and tell us to "Come one over.." But we'd always decline. Then one night we decide to check it out.

Zowie. It was really something. They had colorful sheets hanging underneath the ceiling to make it look like we were in an Arabian tent, pieces of red cloth over the lamps to dim the light, and low-to-the-floor couches and bean bag chairs to sit on. My wife and I huddled together in a bean bag chair like two frightened school children, wondering what we were doing there. Then the hostess, who was decked out in a belly dancer's outfit, offered us a funny looking cigarette. We declined the smokes, but we drank and ate, and had one of the most interesting times of our lives. Interestingly, the husband of the belly dancer was actually an IRS agent, and he prepared the income taxes for most of the people at the party.

Yep, those were the days. We only lived a mile from the beach, so on Saturday mornings we'd all walk down to a little beach front cafe and have coffee and rolls. Then we'd stroll along the beach. My wife would collect seashells, and I just loved the sound of the pounding surf. It was a wonderful time in our lives. But you've definitely got us beat by a long shot, because we never got our picture in the newspaper! What a great memory item for you and your family.

Happy trails.

granny grimble said...

SWUBIRD
We never had 'funny cigarettes' thank goodness! I don't think they were around in our circles, we were too innocent. Were the rest of the guests in fancy dress or was it just the hostess?
It sound so peaceful and romantic strolling along the beach in the morning sun, collecting sea shells. Of course you were lucky to have the weather to go with such acivities. If it were England, the chances are that it would be cold and windy! :0)

Babs (Beetle) said...

Well I left a comment here but it's gone!

I must admit to preferring the first type of party too. Where I can relax and not have to keep up appearances :O)

granny grimble said...

BABS (BEETLE)
Sorry your comments did a 'walk about' but so happy you returned. I shall try and reprise my comment to your comment if my memory will take the strain! My days of party going have now gone and I get my kicks from sitting on the side in a comfy cair. The proverbial 'granny', glass in hand, watching those ten years or more younger tham me, making idiots of themselves , as was my want!

Swubird said...

Granny:

Yes, the other guests were also decked out in wild dress. Actually, the whole idea was to be outrageous. We just wore what we had on not expecting to see all the sights. Boy, were we surprised. But it was fun and we left with fond memories.

Happy trails.

Croom said...

I think we prefer the 'other type' of party because it was such fun, anything goes type of party, plus of course we were mostly family and dear friends. A very interesting blog again Leeta, I am learning a lot about my big sis too.

Croom said...

I think we prefer the 'other type' of party because it was such fun, anything goes type of party, plus of course we were mostly family and dear friends. A very interesting blog again Leeta, I am learning a lot about my big sis too.

Jay said...

I would have loved to come to one of your fancy dress parties! I'm too used to the other sort. Funny how other people's customs seem so much better than our own, isn't it?

I was two when you went to the festival! And I didn't know that's what the Festival Hall was named for!

granny grimble said...

CROOM

I bet there's a lot we sisters don't know about each other. Somehow we only see the same side each time we are together. I bet you didn't know that I once was a store detective, or that I once submitted dress designs to the buyer of C and A !

granny grimble said...

JAY
I've still got a few fancy dresses hanging in my wardrobe. I'll never wear them again as most wouldn't fit:0) I keep saying I'll get rid of them, but I don't!
Doesn't it make you feel so young knowing that you were only two years old while I was getting married. Gosh it makes me feel old!
I have a feeling that probably there are lots of folk out there who don't know where the Fesival Hall got it's name from.