The Fair Fortnight.

[DannyGill]

Hi Gang,
Who remembers the Glasgow "Fair Fortnight" when it seemed almost all of Glasgow came to a standstill I think it was the second week of July [?] and people all year round had been saving up for their holidays to =Saltcoats, Blackpool,Isle of Man or later on the Costa Brava etc. I wonder is it still on the go ? or has it like many customs dissapeared over the years. What an exciting time to be a wean going with your Ma and Da on a holiday away fae the soo-side and bringing back a stick of rock for friends. Myself being a young bricklayer in the late 1960's it was everybody's dream to be asked to work the "Fair" because you had to be paid double time, if you were lucky enough to work the "Fair" then you would feel like a millionaire with the wages you received. Also at this time of the year you had the "shows" over in Glasgow green [was it the same time as the Fair fortnight], the Wurlitzer's spinning around, the Dodgems, toffee apples and candy floss with all the pop songs being played loudly. Does anyone remember these times ?
Regards.
Danny

[Granny911]

Oh how I loved the fair fortnight! Great memories of family holidays. Unless my Dad was offered a shift during it. Like you Danny he was a tradesman, so if he got the offer of double time he jumped at it.

Also loved it when the shows came to the Glasgow green. Much to the disdain of my family, I even had a job at the shows one year in a food booth that sold hamburgers, fried onions, candy floss, candy apples etc. They trained me for two days and then left me to it. I worked for really nice people though so it was a great experience. I think the shows did arrive for the fair fortnight.

The pop music they played at all the rides was fantastic. I remember the dive bombers, the rib tickler, the steamboats, motor bikes, the big wheel, and the big swings. Oh those were the days, great memories! Cheers, Sheila

[DannyGill]

Hi Shelia,
Ah yes there was something special about the shows I used to walk over the Kay bridge with my Ma and my wee Granny when I was a wean and my Granny's favourite was the stall that had different numbers in squares [on the table/counter] and you had a wee wooden slot where you put your old penny in and it rolled onto the table. If you were lucky your penny would land in a square and whatever number was in the square that was the amount of pennys you got back, so if it was a 5 then the guy behind the counter would throw you out 5 pennys oh happy days. Then my Ma and Granny would sit down for a game of Housey-Housey while I stood watching them while eating a candy floss and listening to all the pop songs. One of the highlights was when I won a coconut and took it back to show all my pals in the soo-side but we couldny open it ?, my Da got a hot poker from the fire and burned a hole in it to get the milk out but it was all gone so he got an axe and cut it in two but the kernel inside was too dry to even chew, ach well at least I had won one. Then on the Sunday morning when the Shows left my pals and me were over there to see if we could find any "luckys" left laying on the ground, yes happy days indeed.
Regards.
Danny

[Jimbo]

Danny, that was Roll-a-Penny or Roll-the-Penny depending on who owned the stall (some of the high numbers also had curved black lines on all four sides of the square so that the penny had to be millimeter perfect not to touch the lines!)

[DannyGill]

Hi Jimbo,
Yes that's right "roll the penny" I remember that now . I've also remembered what the man/woman who stood inside the stall/tent used to say too= "on the line the money's mine in the box it'a all yours" and yes Jimbo there was "special" box's where you got the top amount of money back. If my memory serves me correct [?] the stall or tent was always circular ?.
Regards.
Danny

[accobra]

Hi Danny ,
The fair fortnight was an evacuation of the Glasgow population to all corners of the
country.The first thing I remember was that a lot of people could not cope with getting "two weeks wages" and the trick was to make it last but it was amazing how many were skint by the end of the first week.
I remember that my father who worked in Barclay Curle Shipyard insisted that my mother meet him on the Friday payday before the fortnight startedas he would go Greyhound Racing at one of the tracks and the outcome was never guaranteed!!!

I do believe a lot of housewives dreaded the Fair Fortnight especially if they did not get away for a well earned break.as the money did not seem to last.!!!

Best Regards Reg

[DannyGill]

Hi Reg,
Yes your dead right about getting paid the 3 weeks wages at the one time, unfortunately some guys just couldn't handle it they would get drunk and stood a good chance of losing their money in the bookies or as I saw with my own eyes guys going to Shawfield dog track and losing it all, that was sad Reg. No wonder some wives made a point of meeting their husbands and taking most of the money for the Fair fortnight otherwise disaster !!.
Working in the building trade as a bricklayer my mentor John Donlon in those far off days gave me a good bit of advice, he said Danny son keep a few pounds for a drink with your mates on the break up Friday but the rest of your money put in your socks= so that way even if you do get drunk at least you will wake up in the morning with a hangover but your money will still be in your socks, yes good advice indeed.
Regards.
Danny

[Jimbo]

The "Fair" in the 50's and 60's (not sure if the video will play without BBC iPlayer installed)
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/glasgowandw ... 822032.stm

[DannyGill]

Hi Jimbo,
Great wee film about sailing doon the watter, I found there was a bit of buffering in the film so I pointed my cursor and dragged it along and that allowed me to see all the film but at different stages. Once again many thanks Jimbo.
Regards
Danny

[Jimbo]

The last scene on that BBC film was of the PS Waverley, here's a bit more
of the Waverley! > http://local.stv.tv/glasgow/going-out/e ... l-channel/