Transcript of all stories

“Arthur’s Story: Organiser and Judge” performed by Lori and Simon

Inspired by Arthur’s Stories

1977

Organiser: It’s 1977 and the carnival is back for the first time in four years after a short hiatus. The amount of planning it takes to pull an operation like a carnival together is… well, I’ve had quite a few sleepless nights! Let’s put it that way.

Judge: I’m judging the carnival float this year… same as always, before the procession starts.

Organiser: And there was one thing we’ve completely forgotten to factor in…

Judge: I have to say I have never judged floats in conditions like this before.

Organiser: No one had considered checking the length of road we needed to gather the floats before the procession started!

Judge: The floats were meant to be positioned on Barrack road, but there were so many that they overflowed onto Topsham road… which still has traffic passing through. So, I’m stood on Topsham Road and every two seconds I’m having to look up from my clipboard to check I’m not in the path of an angry ford driver who’d been stuck in traffic for the last 30 minutes.

Organiser: It was chaos. A sea of judges weaving in and out of floats and moving cars, and…

1979

Organiser: We moved down to Marsh Barton after that…

Thunder and lighting greeted us this year. But that’s not enough to put us off. Thousands of spectators still line the routes, with the absence of a handful of open top floats and seventeen younger majorettes who had to head to the hospital to be treated for exposure!

Judge: Best overall prize went to the unshakeable Rockbear Carnival Club… and the best local prize? To St Thomas First School, of course!

1984

Judge: As a judge, there is nothing that brings me more joy than a well executed float where all the elements and performance come together. It’s magical.

So, when I saw the first ever entry from the brilliant Sid Vale Carnival Club with their Mississippi show boat… I was… It was. GLORIOUS. It was so huge that the smoke stacks on the Showboat had to be cut down in size, so that the float could fit under the railway bridge on Marsh Barton Road. (Sid Vale will be one of the few entries from previous carnivals to take part in the 2022 carnival - Keep your eye out tonight!).

1988

Organiser: Disaster strikes! A Rock n Roll float is up in flames in Marsh Barton before it has even started its journey. Children and families watch as flames engulf months of hard work within minutes.

Judge: A float out of the runnings because of a fire! No one was hurt but the children from Wonford Community Association were close to tears as they saw all their hard work going up in flames…I saw a little boy walk straight up to the group of children and say ‘You can come on our float if you’d like’… we should give him his own prize, I think!

1992

Judge: This year I feel like I’m on a special operation… like a double agent. This is the first year judging is happening on route! We can dot ourselves anywhere along the route and the participants have no idea where they’ll be judged and when… because of this I have never seen such passionate performances from the floats! Smiles beaming, each dance move exerted with precision. Everyone giving it their all!

Organiser: Over 100,000 spectators were estimated to line the four and a quarter mile long route each year! A total of 130 floats, walking entries and other participants lined up for the 1992 procession, who were judged by around 70 judges. Floats came from as far afield as Cornwall and Dorset!

1996

Organiser: Exeter Carnival is now one of the top events in Devon! But… there are only three of us now in the committee… three of us to raise the funds to cover the costs, and three of us to give our time to pull together this landmark event.

1997

Judge: The collection didn’t do so well this year with only £4,107 being collected which was down on the record of £6000 in 1988. The carnival was failing to cover its costs…

1998

Organiser: With a small and overstretched committee, the lack of funds, the carnival has to be scaled back dramatically…

1999

Judge: It’s late November, and tonight I’d usually be on Exeter High Street amongst the bustle of busy crowds, a carousel of music, with a hot cup of tea between by gloved hands. But tonight, the streets are dark and still.

2022

Organiser: And now, it’s back! I may not be part of organising it this year…

Judge: And I might not be a judge, but we’re so excited for the streets of Exeter to come alive with music, dancing, community and the spectacle of Carnival, once more!

2. “1970s Mum” performed by Biddy

Inspired by conversations with members of Age UK Exeter and U3A

Once, I remember taking my little ones down to Paris Street to watch the carnival floats. Oldest can’t have been more than 3 or 4. It was cold and wet and dreary but I shoved a hot water-bottle in the bottom of the baby’s pram and wrapped the oldest up in his coat and scarf and we stood patiently waiting. Finally the parade reached us and watching the beautiful floats with their lights and music lit us up and took our mind off the cold until strangely the floats stopped coming…the crowd was looking left and right…it seemed that a float had broken down further up the parade route and was holding everything up. We stood there waiting for what seemed like hours. I’m embarrassed to say that eventually I told my son that it was all over and time to go home. I couldn’t bear standing and waiting in that cold. We stopped for chips on the way home, of course.

This year, oh I wouldn’t go out this year. It’s cold and wet and dark and I don’t really go out at night now, too many crowds. Mind you, my daughter will try to persuade me, I think it’d be absolutely lovely to see my little grandson’s face…see what he makes of it. I’d hope he’d still see the magic and the wonder of the lights and the floats.

3. “Siblings Wide-Eyed Watching” performed by Isaac and Thea

Inspired by Abbe Martin and others

Sibling 1: It’s my favourite time of year! Can you smell that? No?

The fish and chip shops all over Exeter are on overdrive tonight… families ordering dozens of portions of chips to take with them up into town before it all starts. The whole city is starting to come to life!

Sibling 2: Mum & Dad are meeting their friends in our spot so we’re taking chips up for them too!

Sibling 1: We start walking up the hill into town.

Sibling 2: Even though I have gloves, a scarf and a hat on, I’m still cold. But it’s fun to see your breath dancing in front of you.

Sibling 1: All the roads are closed…

Sibling 2: So we run from one side of the road to the other. Shouting out with excitement! We reach the spot ahead of Mum and Dad, but they know where to meet us.

Sibling 1: We make sure we’re near the front.

Sibling 2: I have to be near the front so I can get the best view of the Carnival Queen. One day… when I’m bigger I want to be part of the Carnival. And maybe the Carnival Queen myself… I think I’d suit sitting on a throne.

Sibling 1: Our cousin is taking part this year… She isn’t the queen or anything. But I bet she could be.

Sibling 2: Mum passes us sparklers which she lights for us… and we stand painting our names using the light.

Sibling 1: And then I hear it! The first signs of the Carnival…

Sibling 2: The majorettes lead the procession, moving closer and closer to the beat of drums.

Sibling 1: And the smoke of the floats slowly starts coming into view.

Sibling 2: And before we know it. They’re above us.

The buzz of generators, engines, music from speakers, screaming, marching - the procession starts to move past in a dance of noise and colour!

Sibling 1: I start hopping up and down, waving to everyone on the float above me!

Sibling 2: So many different worlds pass by us on The Floats! Mermaids, pirates, aliens, animals from all over the world.

Sibling 1: But my Favourite? The Crocodile Rock float… the entire length built as the inside of a very large crocodile’s head, with a rock n roll band and dancers inside the mouth!

Sibling 2: and Elton John’s song is blasting from the speakers.

Sibling 1: My Dad whisks me up into his arms, jigging up and down to the music…

Sibling 2: My mum and her friend spin each other around, nearly tripping over, erupting into laughter.

Sibling 1: We stay until the end… watching each and every float as it goes past. But nothing topped the crocodile rock float.

Sibling 2: As we turn to leave I open my hand and see a couple of pennies in my palm. Amongst the excitement of it all, I forgot to toss them into the collection float as it went past…

Sibling 1: Hold on to them for next year…

4. “Carnival Queen” performed by Denise - taken from an interview with Patricia Doling

There’s a lot of work entailed obviously, my husband dealt with the running of it, with the committee and I was chaperone for the queen and the attendants. Making sure they were alright. My first born arrived in 1970 and I think we were involved then but we certainly were in…In 1973 I was rushed off to hospital during the carnival parade, as I was expecting my son… he didn’t arrive that day, as always he’s always late my son… but I was in hospital then for a little while til he eventually arrived. When they were older both of my two were involved in the carnival. So obviously, they used to dress up and go with their father. I remember them dressing up as Smurfs, in the Smurf era…remember them?

But we do go way back actually with the family because my sister was carnival Queen In 1950. In those days you had to sell…I think… I'm not sure about Val, but mainly it was how many tickets you sold. Get the money in you see. And my other sister was an attendant, I’m not sure what year that was but she was very proud. They had their own float of course and the queen and the attendants were very proud: smiling and waving.

It was a very nice float. Yes, it was pretty posh. You know, it had the Queen’s chair, you know, like a throne and it was all done out beautifully, you know? And she had a crown…it was the same crown every year but her dress…I was trying to think where we got the dresses from…I don’t remember where she got that dress. It was a lovely white satin one with lace on it. Very posh it was.

I can tell you a little story. When she was all dressed up, she was so made up, you know? And I wasn’t that old. What was I? 11? Yeah. And I said, ‘Oooo Val’ and I put my finger right down the side of her face. And of course, she had on a lot of makeup and I was not used to her having makeup on. And she had a huge streak down the side of her face where I’d touched it…so I got severely told off!

An average Carnival Day was jolly busy. I mean the jobs….well you have to make sure you're down there where the floats are, you had to make sure that everybody, you know, your Stewards were all there and knew what they were doing. And your collectors, because you had, obviously people going around with the collecting tins. We had a collecting float, which was always at the back, and people used to throw, well just about anything. And from there, well, the really big thing is actually counting the money afterwards. Oh that was a thing. Counting the money was absolutely horrendous. I mean, you know, we got as many as we could to help count it. It was important as we had a lot of money having to go out because you've got quite a few expenses. I do remember it was a long day because I used to… when I used to chaperone the Queens… I remember going in to say goodnight to my daughter. So you know it..it was a lot. It did entail a lot like that. Yeah. But we enjoyed it. It was good.

5. “School Float” performed by Karen, Thea and Jim

Inspired by Jenny, Charlotte and Dave

Daughter: Well, yeah, when I was at St. Thomas first school, we were in the carnival, weren’t me Mum? And the first one I was involved in was The Snow Queen, wasn’t it Mum?

Mum: Yeah, it was called an Arctic fantasy. So I mean, it's obviously designed for the night time so it looks a bit crude but this is them getting ready in what was then called Eskimo costumes. There were icicles and penguins and everything. Oh, yeah. Here we are. This is you, isn’t it?

Daughter: I had a big coat covered in hologram tape and you were in a matching costume.

Mum: That's right, because it was a primary school carnival the parents had to be there and your three year old brother had to come along as well.

Daughter: Yeah. So you sewed on all the fur and you made the gloves. And you made lots of icicles and snowflakes to go on the float. But yours weren’t quite up to scratch were they?

Mum: The parents’ Carnival committee at the first school had been around for some time and they were a force to be reckoned with. Strong women, strong ideas. And if your work didn't come up to snuff, they would inform you. It was quite a competitive environment. Because they won every year and wanted to keep winning so they had a drive.

Daughter: Dad made things to go on the float too, you made the kayak didn’t you?

Dad: The women on the committee would engage tradesmen: carpenters, electricians etc, and you ‘d see them up on the roof of the float working away…they were completely subdued by the stalwart women of the committee. Everybody mucked in. Well, we were forced to muck in! I seem to remember the judges came before the procession started so you had to act your part at the school.

Daughter: The beautiful teacher at the school was the snow queen and she had a special sledge to go in on the float. I got to sit in the kayak with a fishing rod. That was 1989, I think, when I was five, but the following year it was Mr. Men and Little Miss…I was little Miss Scatterbrain, Dad wore his stills and was Mr. Tall. Mum was Mr Uppity with a top hat and monacle and my brother was Mr. Daydream.

Dad: It was really hard on those stilts, I was exhausted by the time I got to South Street.

Daughter: I don’t actually remember the day, just the build up and making the costumes…I was mainly disappointed I didn’t get to be a snow princess….and I wanted to be Little Miss Sunshine.

Mum: The costumes were very good, there was a really strong message from the Carnival Committee: You must make sure your costumes are authentic!!!

Dad: It did look good though because it was illuminated and all these big trucks were towing generators. There were 1000s of lights on the float and generators chugging away. Dramatic stuff. Yeah. Brilliant.

But there was no welfare, no health and safety. Of course floats these days, those who are performing on the float are usually tethered to a post so they don't fall off.

Those floats were full of little children…there's no sides to it…we didn’t think anything of it at the time.

Mum: What are my hopes for the future? I hope it brings people out onto the streets in a positive way. We've been through a really, really tough period with the pandemic, and the political and financial situation.

And just to get a real feel good factor for people that anybody can access, you know, you don't have to pay to go in and watch something special. Yeah, hopefully bring community together, and that it continues in a new 20th Century way for a new generation of Carnival goers.

And with better health and safety! (of course)

6. “Exeter Memories” performed by Malcolme and Margaret

These memories are taken from the contribution of several Exeter citizens to the People Talking project that was created by Jenny Lloyd in 1976. They have been reproduced by kind permission from Exeter Memories website: http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/_story/story_123.php

Margaret:

Carnival in my day was really something to look at, not like it is now, all blooming cars and adverts. We had beautiful horses shining brasses, names and tails plaited with coloured braids. Some horses had brass ornaments on top of their heads with a bell hung on which around when the horse walked or shook his head.

Malcolme:

The carnival started from the Falmouth out Buddle Lane and it was judged there. Prices were given for different carts , like funny or the prettiest, all sorts of classes. It took about half an hour to pass by and hundreds of people who were out on the streets enjoying it. When I was a boy I once carried an oil flare and walked in front from the Falmouth all around town and back to the Falmouth. We did it for fun.

Margaret:

Heavitree to my mind was always the best. The torches used to be carried, anything up to 15 on a plank, on their shoulders, and that used to light the tableaux up. And they'd walk each side of the lorries. It was a thing everybody put their heart in.

And they used to see some real funny individuals, such as Tommy Shilton. He used to come from Clyst St Mary. And as far as I can remember until he finished, I don't think he ever missed a Carnival. He dressed himself up like a gentleman, a fox hunter. He is to have this fox sat up on his shoulder. Sometimes he was on horseback, sometimes in a pony and trap.

Malcolme:

Then there was Gerry Andrews – he'd carry a house of bricks on his head. And when it was put on his head it was there until the carnival finished. He always liked to get to the front of the procession. He'd carry a banner: "Your roof is my headache".

He used to be a tiler's nodder; he worked for my uncle. In those days you used to carry the slate on your head, just put them on your head and go straight up. Sometimes you used to have a rubber quoit in your hat and the tiles would go on top; maybe 24 small tiles. And Gerry used to nod the tiles up on his head. And with this he used to carry this house on his head through the streets of Heavitree. Everyone knew Gerry Andrews. Rain or shine, Gerry used to be there, carrying this little house with bricks painted on; about two foot six square , I suppose – a proper little house. He used to carry it for all the carnivals; getting on the act somewhere.

Margaret:

Now Mrs Hoer kept the fish and chip shop down Buller Road. She was a character. We always used to have our fish and chips from there. She was a real comedienne, she was, no doubt about it, a glorious character. She'd dress up as characters from the Old Music Halls. She was entertainment in herself.

Malcolme: The fire engines were a glorious site, bright red, and shining brasswork with the ladders on top; the firemen in dark uniforms with shiny buttons, jack boots and lovely brass helmets – very smart crews they were. At that time the fire brigade was stationed in New North Road below the Theatre Royal. I believe the crews were mainly volunteers.

There were men who looked like old time peddlers – they carried trays around their necks and sold windmills, confetti and what Ken Dod now calls tickling sticks.

Margaret:

Vantage points to watch the Carnival for us were the Triangle, if we were a gang of kids on our own, but if we went with mother and father we were taken to Bedford Circus. There was a large bank on the corner of Bedford Circus on the High Street; the bank doorway had wide steps leading up to the front door and white marble windowsills. My brother and I would be put up on the windowsill, which felt 20 foot high, as we were very young. People turned out in their hundreds and lined the routes all the way. It was a big night and the fun continued in Cowick Street and St Thomas into the night. My older sisters were allowed to go downtown and had to be home at 9 PM or else!

Those were good times!

7. “Coin Float” performed by Brian and Karen

Inspired by Peter Edwards

Daughter: I am so excited that Exeter Carnival is back. This time of year is always really hard for me. I don’t deal very well with the dark anyway, but also moving back into the cold and dark weather with a small child is quite daunting to me… As a family we love the outside, and getting out. So, we’ve wrapped up warm! And here we are. I’ve even managed to get my old man on board too which I am so happy about. He looks like he’s enjoying himself. I’m so glad I got him to come.

Old Man: Why did I say yes to this? I haven’t really left the house much since the pandemic. I used to get out every day for a walk through St Thomas… but after being cooped up for so long, the walk is more difficult than it was before. But my daughter, and my granddaughter, have dragged me up here. I thought the crowds would be too much.

But… it’s wonderful to see people come together like this again. To smile at strangers, to share this with them. And it does bring back a lot of memories…

When I was about 11, I knew one of the organisers at the Heavitree Social Club. They let me and a friend "work" the tail lorry, which was a flatbed with a screen that people threw money on. This was a coveted duty, because we always pocketed a few half crowns for our troubles. However sometimes we just became targets, and several times coins with a high velocity would hit us. My most memorable incident. The parade was over and we were heading back to Heavitree on Magdalen road, followed by a bearded biker with a girlfriend on the back.

I was kneeling in the coins, raking them into a pile, when a banger went off between by shins, tearing a hole in both legs of my jeans. They almost fell off their bike laughing at my pained antics, hopping about and slapping at the ragged jeans.

Daughter: I hope it carries on after this year…

I know we have our phones, and TV shows to last a lifetime, and games, and god knows what else, but something about communities, groups, and people that don’t usually work together, coming together, is truly special.

Maybe that’s the magic you can feel around you at events like this…

8. “Angels” performed by Ashmeet

In the 1970s I was a nurse at the RD&E and we always had a float. ​The ‘Angels’ float paying tribute to nurses since 1870 started from Barrack Road where we were queued for a very long time before the start.

It was very cold and the nurses were kept warm because they were in navy blue coats borrowed from Redhills hospital. The then Minister's wife was dressed as a surgeon!

One of our lady's laying in a hospital bed and covered only in a sheet was shivering with the cold. I ran all the way home from Barrack Road to get a hot water bottle and a blanket to keep her warm and arrived back just before the start. I feared that she would otherwise finish up in hospital herself with hypothermia.

We were so excited to be part of Carnival but very, very cold. I hope the weather is kind this year and that everybody enjoys the experience!

9. “Tetley Tea” performed by Jim

Inspired by Robin Smith

I’m proud to say that I’m a prize winner - I’ve still got the official certificate from the Carnival Judging Committee!

It was 1978 and I was working for United Builders Merchants in Sowton, we had our own lorry with a trailer, and we were very lucky to be loaned a generator by WP Dynamos.

I think the idea was mine - Tetley Clog Dance with the Tetley Folk from the Tetley tea adverts off the telly. It was 1978 - we were mostly in our 20s and I was usually the one getting the staff together for a night out on the town, so this sounded like a lot of fun. A great way to come together and have a laugh. Carnival was always such a fun night for the young people.

We wrote to Tetley and they sent us loads of stuff - cardboard cut-outs of the Tetley Folk for the float, tea bags and these special musical mugs that played the tune from the advert… we must’ve had the song playing on the float too - on a cassette player I imagine.

We all worked together really hard to pull it off. I remember spending our lunch hours making paper flowers. And we were really lucky with the team - they had some great skills. One of our admin guys did all the artwork on the side of the lorry - you know, drawing all the Tetley Folk. There were 6 of us on the float all dressed in brown coats to look like the Tetley folk, one of our team was a seamstress and she made slippers to wear over our shoes, and the hats as well. We spent all our Saturdays and Sundays in the run -up decorating the float and keeping it safe and hidden away.

Afterwards we got a nice letter from Tetley thanking us for advertising their brand. Didn’t do us any harm either - using one of our lorries advertising UBM…and it was so much fun.

On the day I remember being at the top of South Street on the float throwing tea bags into the crowd. We had an old-fashioned sewing machine rigged up on the float and some muslin…we were pretending to put the holes in the teabag - like in the advert.

It was a giggle…I even remember going back to the Blue Boy after the Carnival ended around 9pm and doing a bit of socialising…well we needed to unwind after all of that!

All our hard work paid off in the end- we won First Prize in the Humourous category.

10. “Teenager 1960” performed by Margaret

Inspired by a conversation at Age UK Exeter

Must’ve been early 60s, 1960/61 maybe…course we married in ’63 so would’ve been before then. We would go every year to see who we could find. Big group of us there was. Every Saturday night in the season we’d go to a different carnival. We’d ride the bus, or get a lift with someone…to all the local Carnivals: Sidmouth, Exmouth, Axminster, all over the place. I would be wearing my tight slacks I made myself (VERY tight they were) and a roll neck jumper with a zipped up jacket. We’d go to the pubs and see if we could get served a drink of cider, otherwise it’d be a lemonade… or maybe a Coca-Cola with an aspirin dissolved in it! That’d make you giggle I can tell you! We’d see the same floats again and again and get to know the people on them. We’d wave and chat and have a laugh.

I loved the music of Tommy Steele…I loved to go to dances and having fun. Later, I was heavily into Beatlemania but this was before all that. But Carnival was quite the event for us teenagers back then. We’d go to have fun, listen to the music, go to the pub, watch the lights, flirt, meet other teenagers and have a lovely time.

11. “Teenager 1995” performed by Estelle

A true story told to Estelle

I had my first kiss with my first love during the carnival in 1995. We were really good buddies and he used to come round my house and chat about the football with my Dad! But we were just friends, or at least had been for ages. He had a girlfriend at the time and I had a boyfriend.

I remember the Carnival being bright, light, mad and noisy! My mates and I used to go to Carnival every year as a group to hang out and have fun. Not to cause mischief or get drunk, just to mess out and flirt and giggle and maybe have a sneaky can of beer. Everyone looked forward to it, we planned it weeks in advance. It was all good innocent fun. But this one year, when I was about 15, we went as a big group with all our mates and he was there too.

I was feeling down that day as I’d just split up with my boyfriend and as we gathered on the high street, right around where the Ivy is today, he began to console me. I remember the floats going past and the colourful lights. It was super cold and the light from the floats used to warm you up as they went past. It began to rain harder and we nestled into the doorway of one of the high street banks and had our first kiss whilst the floats went past blaring mid-90s dance music.

I still remember the excited feeling of butterflies in my tummy. I was so happy. To this day, its one of my favourite memories because it was so romantic and so special. He was my first love and we’re still in touch. I spoke to him about it recently and he remembers it warmly too - I was also his first love. What a way to have a first kiss!