Pinner Fair

Bridge Street c1955
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I was born in Ruislip Gardens in 1939, we were moved to Pinner in 1940 due to the war and living next to Northolt Aerodrome. I lived in the area for 20 years before emigrating to Adelaide, South Australia in 1967. On a visit to UK in 1995 I was overjoyed to find that the fair was on on the very day I visited and I had a pint of Benskins best bitter (my old brew) in the Queen's Head to celebrate. My main memory as a child is of going to the annual fair every year. As the road was closed to traffic the buses had to turn round near the Vagabonds Hall. The Helter Skelter was always positioned on the forecourt of the old Red Lion and they had all the side shows with the Siamese twins (pickled piglets) and the bearded lady, two-headed snake etc. in front of the Langham Cinema. The 98 bus to Ruislip and the 98b to Uxbridge terminated at the Red Lion as did some of the 183'sbut most continueing to Northwood My grandfather was married in the church at the top of the High Street where they always had the carousel with the fairground organ in the centre on fair day. My mother worked in Woolworth's on the biscuit and sweet counters.  Gordon Tomlinson.