Thought I’d put this special in as a supporter of the Cheshire Rose Fetes. Read with dismay some time back that despite surviving for 75 years they may very well not continue through lack of support and expertise!
The Weaverham Rose Fete in the 50’s was an amazing event. It was a bit like Christmas in June/July. Here in Western Australia we actually do celebrate ‘Christmas in July’. July is in the middle of winter, and pretty cold. So some of us crazy gals and guys, take off for weekends and hols in the south of the state, which is the coldest part and celebrate ‘Christmas in July’, with real Christmas food, cards and celebrations!
Weaverham in the 50’s was pretty quiet and the two main exciting times were the summer rose fete and Christmas. The rose fete of course attracted the traveling fair, and that was a week or two of excitement and ‘the big night out syndrome’! Whether it rained or shone, it didn’t matter. The fair ground was a honey pot to the ‘bees’ of Weaverham. We strutted are thing and met the girls for a fling. I managed to catch the last night of the Weaverham fair in July ’99. It was much smaller than I remembered and one of the stall holders confirmed the fact. The fair ground seemed to be loosing its’ appeal to modern entertainment and technology.
In the 50’s the Weaverham fair took up the whole field practically and had every imaginable event. Dodgem cars, boxing rings where you could fight the resident boxer and win a quid or two. Ferris wheels, merry go rounds, hot dog stands etc etc. For us it was magic and we felt like kings for the night. I remember we all got dressed up in our best jeans, shirts and for some of us cravats and kept trying to bump into as many girls as we could and dare them to try the more dangerous rides.
In ’99 on my return after 37 years away we turned out for the Davenham Rose Fete. A much smaller place and event than the Weaverham one. So come on don’t ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’. We can enjoy the new technologies like the internet but let’s retain some of the old world charm as well and support the revival of the Cheshire Rose Fetes’. It doesn’t after all have to be exactly as it was in the 50’s. What about a ‘new age’ rose fete with modern themes and space –aged displays. Remember ‘achievement is only limited by a lack of imagination’
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