The first Kenilworth Carnival (page 3)
On 16th July 1926, the day before the event, details of the preparations were published. Thomas Tipson was credited with organising the event, and entries were expected from Coventry and Leamington.
Finally the day arrived, 17th July 1926. There were many decorated cars, motorcycles and ‘other vehicles’, walkers and horse riders, all in costumes; more than a thousand were in the parade. The 400 children from the club mostly rode in cars this time, their regular band of the 7th RWR led the procession, and the Cubbington Excelsior Band also took part. After assembling at the top of Priory Road, they all paraded through town, collecting coins along the way. At its end, the throng split in two; the children went back to the club to have their usual tea and entertainment, whilst the rest headed for the Abbey Fields for dancing in the evening.
‘Every possible way of collecting money was pursued by the revellers’.
What is not included in any of the reports is the route the procession took, just that it started in Priory Road. It is probably safe to assume it followed that of the previous Working Mens Club children’s parade: Priory Road, Waverley Road, Warwick Road, Abbey Hill, whereupon it split going to the club and Abbey Fields.
Although called a ‘festival’, the ‘spirit of carnival reigned’. Over £70 was taken and with expenses of just £5, and it ‘more than covered’ the loss of the Hospital Saturday movement.
Below are newspaper reports of Kenilworth’s first Carnival, taken from the Kenilworth Advertiser, Coventry Herald, Warwick Advertiser and the Leamington Warwick Kenilworth and District Daily Circular . The Leamington Courier published the same account as the Kenilworth Advertiser.
The only known photograph of Kenilworth’s first Carnival. It was taken by Mr Butcher of Kenilworth. A number of the characters mentioned in the reports can be seen.
This version is copied from a poor quality microfilm; it is hoped one day that an original copy may surface.
In a cast of a thousand and only a few dozen named in the reports, it would be fortuitous if any of the 22 in the photograph could be identified with certainty, but here is my attempt. I am confident on two, less so on the others.
2 C Kimber
3 Miss Purvis, the Ace
13 & 22 Maybe Betty and Mary Crook, wounded soldier and nurse
or perhaps 13, 19, 20, 21 & 22, Mrs Kimber and party, ‘Hospital ward’.
16 Maybe ‘Gainsborough Lady’, Mrs Baker
17, 18, 10, 14 Maybe ‘Indian Camp’, (headdress on 17?) Master English, Master Raven and friends.
20 & 21 Maybe ‘Jack and Jill’, Maurice Clarkson, Peggy Constable. (Peggy Constable became Queen in 1939 aged 17, so would be 4 in 1926)
Read through the reports and see if you can identify any others!
So, that is the first carnival, but in its centenary year, How many carnivals has there been?
The first 25 years of Kenilworth’s Carnival is included in: Kenilworth People & Places, Volume 2
More Kenilworth Carnival articles on this website:
Origins of Kenilworth Carnival, and its post-war revival, Patsy Wheeler
Kenilworth’s ‘Lost’ Wartime Carnivals
Kenilworth’s Forgotten Carnival Queen
Carnival Programmes 1936 – 1975
Carnival posters and tickets, 1962 -1967