Web Page 3089 29th December 2023 Have you noticed the we have just passed the half a million hits on the page Billy Smart First Picture: The Governor

Second Picture; The Smart family

Third Picture: The Circus in its heyday

Fourth Picture: Billy Smarts Circus poster

William 'Billy' Smart was one of twenty-three children born into a fairground family from London. Born in 1894, he worked with his family on the fairgrounds of London and the South East from an early age up until his marriage to Dolly in 1925, after which he branched out with his brothers to set up his own fair. By the 1930s he was an established member of the fairground community in the South East and London area and travelled with up to ten rides, with some of his rides featuring alongside Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia in 1939. More success followed in the war years when he operated some of London's largest morale-boosting Holiday at Home Fairs, supplying entertainment to a war-weary public. Although always interested in horses, and interested in circuses for some time, it was not until 1946 that he came across Cody's Circus and bought the big top. By the time he opened his New World Circus in 1946 he was fifty-two years old, following P.T. Barnum's example in taking on a second career as a circus proprietor. Billy Smart's New World Circus made its debut at Southall Park, Middlesex, on 5 April 1946, for the first full season after the end of the war. The circus which he had purchased from Cody was run in conjunction with a travelling fun fair and at first he was seen as an interloper by other more established circus showmen. By 1952, the fun fair, which had been increasingly overshadowed by the circus, disappeared to leave room for a bona fide menagerie. Three years later, the two-poler tent was replaced by a giant 6,000 seat, four-pole round big top with a hippodrome track around the ring, and a vast entrance tent, thus enabling the staging of spectacular parades, which became a Billy Smart's Circus trademark. His greatest innovation was his relationship with the newly established television networks when he agreed for Billy Smart's Circus to be broadcast live by the BBC in 1947. Over the years, Billy Smart's Christmas Spectacular became a BBC holiday tradition, which ITV took over in 1979 and carried on until 1982. A large part of the success of the circus was the showmanship that Billy brought to the operation of the circus, the large family he could draw upon to run the shows and his ability as a showman to market and capture opportunities to advertise. Whilst other circus proprietors were threatened by the rise in popularity of television and shunned the cameras, Billy Smart embraced them. Smart's Circus grew to be one of the largest in the world, touring every part of the British Isles, and with permanent quarters and an associated zoo at Winkfield, Berkshire, not far from where Billy Smart began his fairground career. His success took the circus through twenty-six tenting tours, winter seasons, frequent TV appearances and the provision of animal acts to other circuses. He died in his caravan on 25 September 1966, shortly after conducting the Romford Boys' Band in front of his mammoth circus tent at Ipswich, which had been set up that morning for a two-week stand. With his large Stetson hat, inevitable cigar and unique flair for self-promotion and publicity, Billy Smart was a showman of the highest order. One of his greatest stunts was when he rode an elephant through the streets of Mayfair and parked it at a meter before inserting a shilling! Billy Smart was such a colourful character that on his death his lifelong friend Sir Billy Butlin described him as the greatest showman of our time and probably the last of the great showmen. I remember Billy Smart coming to the King George V he playing fields at Cosham. This was proceed by a mesmerising circus parade with the Governor sat on the back seat of his Rolls Royce in his Stetson hat and smoking a large cigar. Cosham Memories from Peter B:- My father owned the Chemist business in Cosham High Street. “BAKERS OF COSHAM” during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. In the 40’s and 50’s, we were a family of 5 living above the shop, which incidentally was originally Cosham Post Office. But there goes another story of the History of Cosham. Once a week, my mother, often with me, would go into Threadinghams to order our weeks groceries. Mr and Mrs Threadingham worked in the shop. They would weigh out things like sugar and flour etc; into cones that they made up from sugar paper. They had a huge bacon slicer which was worked with a big handle. Mr Threadingham would pack it all into one box and then deliver it to us. We got our meat from Pinks further up the street where I remember Miss Rickman sat in a kiosk to take the money after the butchers had prepared the meat. Our fish came from Mr Mays fish shop. We got our Green Groceries from Wilton’s where Mr and Mrs Wilton would serve us. Our bread was delivered twice a week from Campions up the High Street. Our Gold Top Channel Island milk was delivered every day from Gauntlets Dairy in Stakes Road, Waterlooville. We had a big long garden behind the shop and we kept 24 chickens. 12 Rhode Island Reds and 12 Black Leghorns. They were fed on a mixture of waste vegetables mixed with what was called balancer meal and a couple of handfuls of corn which we got from Curtis’s the corn and coal merchants next door to our shop. Once a week, I was sent down to the food office in the High Street to collect our ration of orange juice and cod liver oil. Twice a week I had to take the accumulator from our Wireless across the road to Seals to get it charged up. In my fathers chemist shop, there were no proprietary medicines. He had to make up all the prescriptions from the individual ingredients. He also had to count all the pills and tablets out from bulk bottles into small individual bottles. People often would not go to the doctor and they would rely on my father, John Barlow for his advice. Miss Bartlett was in charge of the Cosmetics side of the business. I hope you may find this interesting. I could go on and tell you a lot more about our life in Cosham High Street Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

Web Page 3087 22nd December 2023 Happy Christmas to all of you First Picture: Harrods at Christmas

Second Picture; Selfridges window

Third Picture: 1950’s Christmas Book

Fourth Picture: Christmas at Home

Had this sent to me during the year:- How Christmas has changed since our childhood. I don’t ever recall making demands on my parents for particular presents under the tree, we were always grateful for what we received. The magic started on the late afternoon of Christmas Eve, we as a family, would take the bus to town where we would go to the Ships in Meadow Street and Deacons in Charlotte Street for our fruit and vegetables. We would buy our Christmas Tree in the market and then would go to the meat lorry for a piece of pork and a capon. The shopping was always left till late as the stalls had to clear their stock by the end of the day or throw it away, so you could buy a string of sprouts for next to nothing and they were literally the first BOGOF known, as a pound of carrots would turn into two or three, they would give you as much as you could carry and more. (this practice changed in later years when most of the stall holders owned shops in Portsmouth, so the left over produce was kept until they opened again. (refrigeration had been become common by then). We then struggled with all our bags and the tree back onto the bus to take us home. Try that today and you would be told to walk. The tree was set up and decorated during the evening and yes we had real candles on our tree, plastic decorations and real glass baubles, we also hung chocolates on the tree and put a fairy on the top, then off to bed before Santa came. On Christmas morning we would find a stocking, aka a pillow case, at the end of the bed filled with goodies. I wouldn’t be far wrong when I say it contained:- A magic drawing pad (when you scribbled lightly over the page a picture appeared) in later years this was exchanged for a colouring book and crayons or colouring pencils. A pretty picture tin of Bluebird toffees. A small stocking of fresh peanuts and raisins. A Clementine or Mandarin Orange. An annual (the first ones were always Rupert the Bear advancing to the Robin and the Swift, then on to Girl) There was usually some form of clothing such as a bobble hats and scarves, socks, gloves and if you were really lucky a cardigan or jumper. Usually, a Dinky toy or animals for the farmyard set. There would be a board game or a small pack of cards and a simple toy that would have cost only a penny or two. Of course Santas present was always left under the tree to be opened in front of all the family. And we were always very happy with our lot. Maureen Writes:- I had an envelope of things to give to you but left them in Cornwall but one thing I will share with you as it is the appropriate time of year. I have a booklet from Christmas 1958 with Lyons Christmas Fare. It opens out into an 8 page banner advertising goodies for Christmas as follows: Lyons Christmas Puddings 2lb in foil wrapper     6s 6d 1lb in foil wrapper     3s 6d 5lb 12oz rich fruit cake with almond paste and decorated 30s 0d 3lb 11oz rich fruit cake with almond paste and decorated 21s 0d 2lb 15oz rich fruit cake with almond paste and decorated 16s 6d Dundee Cakes 16s 6d     12s 6d      8s 6d Tin of petit fours       9s 0d per tin Chocolate Walnut layer cake   9s 6d On the other side of the banner are 8 Christmas Carols and 10 party games Have a wonderful Christmas and stay in touch Peter

Web Page 3085 15th December 2023 First Picture: Duffle Coat

Second Picture: On the Bridge

Third Picture: Dr Who

Fourth Picture: Jonathon Creek

Duffel Coats When we were young duffle coats were very popular, I had one, mine was navy blue with natural wooden toggles, I did not want a camel coloured one. Did you have one? The duffle coat must be the only article of clothing which spanned the classes from the Royal Naval officers to farm workers. A duffel coat (also duffle coat) is a coat made from duffel cloth, designed with toggle-and-rope fastenings, patched pockets and a large hood. The name derives from Duffel, a town in the province of Antwerp in Belgium where the manufacturing process of this kind of fabric, a coarse, thick, woollen cloth originated. Duffel bags were originally made from the same material. As the hood and toggle fastenings from Polish frocks proved popular, the frock spread across Europe by the 1850s. By 1890 a less sophisticated version was being supplied to the British Royal Navy, from various manufacturers. During World War II all British troops wore the coat, among them Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery and Lieutenant-Colonel Sir David Sterling. After the war, the coats became available in England as government surplus stock and became popular, especially with students. In countries freed by British, wearing the coat also meant a tribute to all troopers that fought in the war and a statement to civilian freedom. There are many variations of duffel coat. The basic British style features: • Genuine double weave woollen duffel fabric, lined with a woolly tartan pattern, or plain in the military version. • Three or, later, four front wooden or horn toggle and leather fastenings. • Two large outside patch pockets, with covering flaps on post-war versions. • Originally knee length; shorter on later versions. • A buttonable neck strap was added.. • Bucket hood with press stud adjustment. Later versions feature a neater "pancake" hood. The large toggles and long ropes from the army coats were designed to enable easily fastening and unfastening while wearing gloves in cold weather. Current designs often feature imitation plastic buffalo horn. The original hood was oversized to allow room for a Naval cap. Toggle-and-rope fastenings are known since ancient times, among others in China. The Duffel cloth has been manufactured since about the 1450's in Belgium and since the 1550s in The Netherlands (Leiden). British outerwear manufacturer John Partridge developed the first version of the duffle coat. In the 1890s the British Admiralty purchased the coat in quantity for the Royal Navy from multiple manufacturers, where it was referred to as the "convoy coat". The navy issued a camel-coloured variant during World War I,] most probably also made from Melton wool. The design of the coat was modified slightly and widely issued during World War II. It became known under the nickname "Monty coat". Large post-war stocks of low-cost military surplus coats turned the duffel into a ubiquitous item of British civilian clothing in the 1950s and 1960s, especially among students. Today, the duffel coat is often made of Melton cloth, as opposed to modern duffel cloth, which is a softer wool fabric with a distinct nap used for high-end coats and parkas. British Major Calloway played by Trevor Howard in the 1949 movie The Third Man wears a standard issue Army duffel coat throughout the film. In the Doctor Who serial The Curse of Fenric, the Seventh Doctor wears a tan duffle coat over his costume. David Bowie wears the coat in the music video for "The Man Who Fell to Earth". In the BBC series Jonathan Creek, part of the character's signature look includes a duffle coat, which was from actor Alan Davies' own wardrobe. YOU WRITE:- This from Mary{:- Hello Peter, I have just read your blog, & much enjoyed it. After leaving Portsmouth & moving out nr Hambledon we were living nr the Chairmakers Arms. With my mother being very anti alcohol, I wasn`t allowed in pubs, not that I always stuck to the rules!!! However I was sent to the Chairmakers one day with some eggs from our chicken. The landlord, Major Good was quite a character, & got on well with my Dad, both being ex soldiers. Mrs Good , I think, was Lebanese, & Dad said was a lovely lady. Their son was a little older than me & was a handsome lad, a fact not wasted on me. My then boyfriend told him that I was already spoken for, a fact I didn`t know for 50 yrs! A few yrs ago we took our day centre clients for lunch at the Chairmakers & I felt sad that it had lost it`s wonderful character. I`ve enjoyed a ploughmans at the Plough & Harrow nr Steep, a marvelous place. The Horse & Jockey nr the Chairmakers was good too. These days I live 1 minute from a small Welsh pub, which does excellent roast dinners on a Sunday. It`s a very friendly place & we`re all looking forward to meeting up next Wednesday for a Christmas lunch, free for us 70+yr olds. Wishing you all the Best, Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

Web Page 3083 8th December 2023 First Picture: Ploughmans Lunch

Second Picture: Pickled Eggs

Third Picture: Pickled Onions

Fourth Picture: Uncle Toms Cabin

Ploughman’s Lunch It’s as if the term ‘Ploughman’s Lunch‘ has been on the archetypal village pub’s menu for several millennia but you might be astonished to find out its use started far more recently! According to agreement from various sources including the BBC, the phrase ‘Ploughman’s Lunch’ was first promoted by the Milk Marketing Board in the 1960s. It was part of a campaign to promote the sales of cheese and other dairy products, especially in pubs. However, the concept of the combination of ingredients is much older. If we journey back slightly further to an edition of a magazine published by the Brewers’ Society called ‘A Monthly Bulletin’ (dated July 1956), we read a superb quote describing the activities of a group called the Cheese Bureau. It says “that it exists for the admirable purpose of popularising cheese and, the public house lunch of bread, beer, cheese and pickle was a heart attack waiting to happen. This traditional combination was broken by war time rationing and the Cheese Bureau hoped, by demonstrating the natural affinity of the bred and cheese to effect a remarriage”. The use of the phrase ‘traditional combination’ suggests this type of well balanced, locally produced food has indeed long been a part of rural folk’s diets. Whenever this perfect meal first originated, there is one thing that is vital to the perfect Ploughmans Lunch: generosity. Each piece of cheese, or bread or accompaniment used were large and chunky. Perhaps this explains why rationing and the war got in the way of our enjoyment of this unique English dish and we needed the advertising skills of the Milk Marketing Board in the ’60s to remind us how good it always was. There were also two other essentials that usually accompanied a Ploughman’s Lunch and they were held on the bar in large jars and were pickled onions and pickled eggs. Additional items could be added such as ham, gammon, green salad, hard boiled eggs, and an apple, or tomato and the other usual accompaniments were a portion of dairy butter and "pickle", or a chutney-like condiment. Back in the 1960’s there were many country pubs in southern Hampshire that served really good Ploughman’s Lunches. I remember eating them in The Chairmaker Arms at Worlds End (before it was modernised), The Royal Oak Hooks Way when it was in the hands of Alfie Anger the oldest landlord in West Sussex and locally Uncle Toms Cabin when the tenants were Mr and Mrs Rule. At that time, the early and mid-1960’s, none of us went out for an evening meal, the nearest we got was to buy packet of chips with salt and vinegar from Mr. Francis chip shop on the Havant Road in Drayton. Not exactly haut cuisine!! Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com