Fleet and District Carnival Logo

THE   HISTORY   OF

 

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1974.jpg (90789 bytes)

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CLICK HERE FOR "PROGRAMMES THROUGH THE AGES AND BE AMAZED


A History of Fleet Carnival from 1936 to 2018

| past carnival queens | past carnival princesses |

| past carnival flower girls

| past carnival themes and programmes |

         

               
 
          
  

            

            1936            

             Videos             

* Fleet Carnival 1988  * Fleet Carnival 2013  * Fleet Carnival 2014

* Fleet Carnival 2015  * Fleet Carnival 2016   

Fleet Carnival 2017 Procession

“ Fleet Carnival 2017 Sunday  * Fleet Carnival 2018 Procession

Fleet Carnival Car Show 2016 

 
 

We are constantly searching for old Carnival photos. We also desperately need copies of programmes  for years 1956 to 1964, 1971 and 1998 to 2000 .IF YOU CAN HELP   email  community@fleethants.com or phone 01252 629420


SHORT HISTORY

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.

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.

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.

Over the years fashions change and each year the committee of the day works hard to organise events to suit current trends.

I hope you enjoy looking back to past carnivals with me - Allan Gibson

PAST CARNIVAL QUEENS

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

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PAST CARNIVAL PRINCESSES

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 2003 Miss Joe Smith
2004 Miss Georgia Pearson 2005 Miss Rebecca Eals
2006 Miss Francesca Ward 2007 Miss Jade Roberts
2008 Hannah Kirby 2009 Karis Winning
2010 Emily McCulloch 2011 Tess Ebner
2012 Izabelle Stephenson

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PAST CARNIVAL FLOWER GIRLS

2006 Miss Lydia Judkins 2007 Miss Reanne Phillips
2008 Holly Strowger 2010 Ella Atkinson & Natasha Davey
2011 Louise Friend & Lily Ebsworth 2012 Jade Huxley and Daisy McCulloch

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PAST CARNIVAL THEMES AND PROGRAMMES

We are still looking for years 1956 to 1964, 1971 and 1998 to 2000 CAN YOU HELP?

Click on programme covers for larger picture. Also press F11 on your keyboard. Click "back" to retu

1965

No Carnival Theme:


1966 No Carnival Theme:
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1967 No Carnival Theme:
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1968 No Carnival Theme:
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1969 No Carnival Theme:
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1970 No Carnival Theme:
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1971 Carnival was first started in 1956 to raise money to build a new Civic Centre in Fleet. In 1971 Carnival gave £10,000 towards the new public halls - Chernocke Hall & Carnival Hall thus achieving its ambition. From 1972 onwards money raised will go towards local good causes.  

 

 

 

 

1972  

No Carnival Theme:



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1973 No Carnival Theme:
The Civic Centre housing the Carnival and Chernocke halls opened

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1974 No Carnival Theme: The cover shows a carving by Mr Ted Roe named "The Jester" which is hung up in the Carnival Hall in the Harlington Centre. The Hall is so named because earlier Carnivals raised money to build the first Civic Centre.
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1975 Youth:
Money raised went to the benifit of youth in the District. The chairman commented on the urban youth problem. (nothing changes)  
The art work for the cover was by Mr Vic Chairman


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1976 No Carnival Theme:
Carnival's 21st birthday.
Money raised went towards a film projection room, projector and cinema screen for the Chernocke Hall.

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1977 The Queens Silver Jubilee:
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1978 R.A.F's 60th Anniversary:
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1979 Cinema Time:
This theme was chosen because Cinema Equipment  had been bought and installed by the Carnival Association in the Civic Centre.

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1980 Silver Jubilee:
The Members of the Executive Committee of the Carnival Association usually like to take a back seat at Carnival time, but after 25 years, a few of them deserve to take a bow for the longevity of their service to the community. To mention all Members over the 25 years would be an impossible task, so for old times' sake only the 'old stagers' shall be mentioned! ,A Member of the very first Carnival Committee of 1955/56 and the only person to have sat on all the Committees over 25 years is Mrs. Joan Vincent. Anyone acquainted with Joan knows that she is a hard-working and loyal person, and apart from being the Honorary Treasurer since 1958, she has applied her talents to many other aspects of Carnival work including the Baby Show and Ladies' night. Handling the finances of a Carnival as big as ours is today is almost a full-time job before and during the Carnival Week, and knowing that Joan is an active member of other local organisations, we can only admire her endless source of energy.
Chairman of the inaugural Carnival Committee was the late Charles Woodman. In all, Charles was Chairman for ten years; he served on the Committee for another six years, and for the six years until his death in 1978 he was a Life Vice-President of the Carnival Association. His personality and selfless spirit were foundations on which-Carnival was built, and Charles will be remembered by both young and old for a long time.
Honorary Secretary Gordon Campbell is next in line for a mention. He served for three years on the Carnival Committee before becoming Secretary, and he has now held that post for 17 years.
The present Chairman is Derek Vincent, and he was on the General Committee for ten years before being voted in as Chairman - a post he has filled admirably now for seven years. Naturally, with Joan involved with Carnival from its outset, Derek was also active behind the scenes, even in the early days.
When Len Leech died early in 1978 he had been on the Carnival Committee since 1960. He will be remembered as the 'Gate Man', but he gave a helping hand wherever it was needed, and his death was a great loss to the Association.
Alan Gilbrook first joined the Carnival Committee in 1964; later he sat as Chairman for two years and for the past four years has been a Vice-President of the Association, It is his dulcet tones that can usually be heard over the public address system during Carnival. Alan's wife, Phyllis, has also been a Member for over five years.
Jim Donoghue joined the Committee in 1965, and has an unbroken service record of 15 years, and Tony Eggar has an unbroken record of 11 years. Dick Stutley joined the Carnival Association in 1969 and his wife Sylvia joined in 1971; both have been in the Association ever since. Mistress of the Robes Pauline Vickery has been dressing the Carnival Royalty for ten years now.
At the risk of omitting someone, I should like to mention some past members who all served for over ten years. Arthur Neville, Waiter Wilson and Eric Gilks all contributed greatly during their long years on past Carnival Committees.
Roger Booth, Eric Heanes and Malcolm Lloyd joined the Association in 1974 but -had Carnival connections before that! The rest of the current Carnival Association are relative newcomers compared to what has gone before, but this in no way detracts from the hard work and time given by them. All Committee Members, past and present, perform their labours completely voluntarily and ask for nothing more than that YOU - the Public'-
continue to support YOUR Carnival in every way possible, so that we may look forward to the year when we celebrate 50 years of Carnival!

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1981 The World of Music:
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1982 Maritime:
Long serving Chairman Derek Vincent Dies.

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1983 Fantasy - The Land of Makebelieve:
Programme cover was designed by Suzanne Parry (15) from Fleet. She won £15 in a competition run by Aldershot News and the Carnival Association.

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1984 Showbiz:
Programme cover was designed by Sarah Newman (12) from Calthorpe Park School. She won £15 in a competition run by Aldershot News and the Carnival Association.

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1985 Music Songs and Dance:
Programme cover was designed by Stephen Cooper (15) of Crondall. He won £15 in a competition run by Aldershot News and the Carnival Association.

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1986 Carnival Around the World:
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1987 50 Years of Television:
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1988 That's Entertainment:
Programme cover designed by Duncan Bowyer who won a competition organised by the Aldershot News. 

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1989 Revue of the Eighties:
Programme cover was designed by Ken WHITEHORN of Court Moor. He won the Mr Spares Challenge Trophy.

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1990 Thirty Five Years of Music Song and Dance:
Programme cover was designed by Belinda Pratt (14) of Farnborough. She won the Mr Spares Challenge Trophy in a competition run by the Aldershot News.

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1991 Magical Moments:
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1992 Taste of Europe:
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1993  

Comedy:


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1994  

Showtime:


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1995  

Its Party Time :
Carnival's 40th Ruby Year. Chairman Chrys Goodburn retires after 20 years serving Carnival.


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1996  

100 Years of Cinema :


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1997  

Great British Events :


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1998  

Fairy Tales & Nursery Rhymes :

No Programme

1999  

Highlights of the 20th Century:

No Programme

2000  

Celebration of the Millennium:

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2001  

Animated Antics & Cartoon Capers:
The Grand Procession was changed from Wednesday  to Saturday and the Children's procession from Saturday to Sunday.


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2002  

Kings & Queens – Real or Imaginary:
The theme reflects the Queen's Golden Jubilee Year.  


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2003  

Music Makes The World Go Round :


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2004  

Heroes & Heroines:
Programme cover artwork by Oliver Chatt (8) of Velmead Junior School. He won a family ticket to Beale Park. The competition was sponsored by fleethants.com website and Ravenscroft Motor Group.


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2005  

Fifty Glorious Years:
Programme cover artwork by Millie Hagart (8) of Church Crookham Junior School. She won a family ticket to Birdworld. The competition was sponsored by fleethants.com website, Ravenscroft Motors, Birdworld and Frames and Prints.


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2006 Sports and Games:
Programme cover artwork by Thomas Hodson (11) of Heatherside Junior School. He won a family ticket to Birdworld. Competition sponsored by fleethants.com website, Ravenscroft Motors, Birdworld and Frames and Prints.
The programme was reduced to only four A5 pages due to a shortage of committee members
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2007 Different Cultures from around the World:
Carnival loses former chairman and long term committee member Molly Ebdon MBE. Molly touched many lives within Carnival and will be sadly missed.
Programme cover artwork by Chloe Marchant of Elvetham Heath Primary School (year 5). The competition was sponsored by Ravenscroft Motors, fleethants.com and Wellington Country Park.
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2008 Travel and Transport:
Programme cover artwork by Caitlin Griffith from Dogmersfield Primary School. The competition was sponsored by fleethants.com, Ravenscroft Motors, Just Ceramics and Birdworld.
2009 Food Glorious Food:
Programme artwork cover by Kevin Wibley
No competition for the Programme Cover

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2010 The World of Sport:
Programme cover artwork by William Jones from Elvetham Heath Primary School. Remarkably William was in year 3 and won the artwork competition against entries from years 4, 5 and 6.
The competition was sponsored by Playscene, Archie's Submarines, Birdworld and Wellington Country Park.

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2011 Princes & Princesses - Real & Imaginary:
Carnival moved from "The Views" to "Calthorpe Park" after 55 years.
Programme cover artwork by Louisa Friend from Dogmersfield School, year 5
The competition was sponsored by Playscene, Sunshine.co.uk and Brandtastic
The Carnival Logo was updated.

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2012 Best of British:
Programme Artwork by Rebecca Bareham age 10 from Elvetham Heath Primary School. The competition was inspired by the Queens Diamond celebrations.

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FLEET & DISTRICT CARNIVAL ASSOCIATION
Registered under Charities Act 264443