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We urgently need more information relating to the Carnival's history. If you can help please phone 01252 684811 or email community@fleethants.com

Fleet Carnival is widely regarded as being one of the biggest and best in the south. It brings together members of the community from every age-group, and provides something for everyone in a fun-filled week in July. Over the years fashions change and each year the committee of the day works hard to organise events to suit current trends.

1956	Miss Judith Ann Poulter	1976	Miss Anna Axtmann
1957	Miss Ann Irene Draycott	1977	Miss Karen Sadler
1958	Miss Eugine Hastings	1978	Miss Deborah Walton
1959	Miss Fiona Gallagher	1979	Miss Amanda Lippiatt
1960	Mrs Yvonne Slusni	1980	Miss Jane Morton
1961	Miss Fiona Gallagher	1981	Miss Susan Nunn
1962	Mrs. Sylvia Soroka	1982	Miss Siobhan Aspden
1963	Miss Carol Gilks	1983	Miss Janice Oates
1964	Miss Wendy Ockmore	1984	Miss Tracey Dickerson
1965	Miss Susan Boyle	1985	Miss Tracey Anderson
1966	Miss Sheila Kingsford	1986	Miss Dionne Hourd
1967	Miss Jane Thursfield	1987	Miss Keren Richardson
1968	Mrs Maureen Norris	1988	Miss Natalie Shakespeare
1969	Miss Anne Messenger	1989	Miss Heidi McDonnell
1970	Miss Nicola Phillips	1990	Miss Natalie Waldon
1971	Miss Ginette Eggar (Princess)	1991	Miss Nicola Thomas
1972	Miss Janice Elizabeth Biggs	1992	Miss Annabel Deere
1973	Miss Barbara Smith	1993	Miss Andrea Hudson
1974	Miss Julie Hughes	1994	Miss Michelle Washington
1975	Miss Susan Wilsdon	1995	Miss Leigh Thornton

1996	Miss Jessica Spaine	1997	Miss Natasha Ford
1998	Miss Jade Miles	1999	Miss Victoria Lewis
2000	Miss Carla Dale	2001	Miss Jade Hull
2002	Miss Charlotte Keen

PRE 1956:The Fleet Carnival of today is very different from its early beginnings. Smaller one-day carnivals were first held in the early years of the twentieth century to raise much needed funds for the Fleet Cottage Hospital. The processions were much smaller than today's: they started at the railway station and went along Fleet Road to the Oatsheaf pub, down Reading Road South and on to the field at Court Moor House. The 1939 carnival was the last one of that era and the town had to wait for many years to see another.
In 1955 a meeting was held and the then Chamber of Trade put forward the idea of resurrecting a carnival for Fleet. The one-day carnivals had always been very popular and it was suggested that the new committee should try to raise sufficient local interest to start a carnival lasting a whole week

1956:The first of the modern-day carnivals was held in the summer of 1956 on the Firs Meadow in Crookham Road, where the police station now stands. The special guest was the world light heavyweight boxing champion, Freddie Mills, and the event was a great success, Community spirit was very strong and the whole town took part.

THE FIRST EVER FLEET Carnival Queen Judy Poulter

Judy Poulter in her regalia.

Judy with her attendants on the float waiting to go in the procession

Judy being crowned by Freddie Mills the boxer . On his right is Charlie Woodman who was Chairman of the Carnival Committee

Louise today

Louise now lives and works in New York USA and has been there for about 5 years. She actually works near Manhattan as Vice President of Operations for a dot com company involved in the holiday cruise business.
Unfortunately she was an eye witness to the terrible September 11th atrocity and lost two of her friends on that day.

1990: Front row from left, Ann Draycott Queen in 1957, Natalie Waldon Queen of 1990, Judy Rundle ( nee Poulter ) Queen in 1956, Eugene Lunn ( nee Hastings) Queen in 1958.

To celebrate 40 years past Queens travelled in the procession in an open-topped bus. From right of picture, Eugene Lunn (nee Hastings )Queen in 1958,Judy Rundle ( nee Poulter) Queen in 1956.