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1900s Fairground family waiting to go on to Southampton Common

With the Southampton Fair on The Common, here is a picture of members of the ‘Matthews’ fairground family, in the early 1900s, waiting to go on to Southampton Common. Picture by Joyce Crutcher, courtesy of William Burns from Southampton Sotonians and Friends.
Courtesy of:
As we near the traditional time of a fair on the common we share our Joyce Crutcher‘s photo from the early 1900’s.
Seen are members of the ‘Matthews’ fairground family waiting to go on to Southampton Common.
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Fairground by Miki Byrne
Kaleidoscope of movement.
Whirls. Swoops. Air coiled
in centrifugal force as rides spin,
lift and dip. Press bodies hard.
Aural melange of screams,
Whoops, doppler across the rumble
of generators, bark of hawkers voices.
Old juke-box songs blare.
Vie with each other in a noisome contest.
Adrenalin flows.
Sweeps waves of euphoria
that plunge and surge as rides
knot metal shapes in night air.
Play intricate games with gravity.
Want is reflected in children’s eyes;
for candy-floss, games, excitement.
The fear of the Ghost Train
to tickle their backs.
Mum scans for dangers, watchful.
Tethered by chords of love.
Parental antenna attuned to bustling crowds.
Dad stands at the shooting range.
Gleam of success in his eye.