Gala Committee 3
Gala Committee 3
Over
the years some of the profit from the galas was spent on items to
improve the events. The early opportunity to buy three genuine market
stalls complete with red and white striped awnings seemed an
extravagance at the time, but turned out to be most useful. The striped
tops added to the appearance of the field as well as providing
protection from the weather for the goods, if not for the stall holders.
Wood was bought to make a robust slippery pole and stand and soon the
committee bought proper holders for a coconut shy, genuine hoopla rings
and blocks and roll-a-penny equipment. Other things were made by members
– a stand for the ever popular crockery breaking, a goal board for
football games, a fine tombola drum and wheel of fortune, these last two
very well made by Jim Westwood. Things like the football game, treasure
hunt and straw-picking were frequently repainted or remodeled so that
the same basic game fit with the year’s theme. The queen’s throne was a
splendid old chair, restored and reupholstered by Peter Hopkinson.
Galas
were publicised by a team who put up poster boards throughout and
around the village, and sometimes with a large hanging banner in Main
Street. They were advertised in the society’s own newsletter, in
publications like the Bradford ‘What’s On’ and the local press gave good
coverage, but there were always a few who claimed not to know anything
about it.
After
the jubilee, the galas calmed down again to Saturday events, staying
with the first Saturday in July in the hope of generally better weather
and to come earlier in the local gala season.
1978
saw Heather Chambers crowned at the Storytime Gala and a new
entertainment when the Wilsden Skateboard Club gave a dare devil
display. There was a display by Wilsden Girls Gym Club as well as the
usual Punch and Judy and a performance by Bellraven Scout Band.
In
1979 the circus came to town with the Big Top Gala. Lindsay Moorhouse
was queen, Meltham Majorettes led the parade and Pickles the Clown with
his performing dogs provided appropriate entertainment. Flying trapeze
was beyond the committee’s powers to organise, but they did provide a
cable inspection vehicle to give exciting bird’s-eye views of the gala.
The topography of the site coupled with the increasing cost of insurance ruled out donkey rides.
Gala
profits had remained fairly steady over the years, though reduced in
real terms since expenses went up but the committee always tried to keep
prices down so that the gala could remain a good family day out. In
addition, by 1979 half the stalls were being run by other village
organisations who paid a small rent but kept their own proceeds. 1979
yielded £210 for WVS funds. One drawback of the village hall site was
the impossibility of controlling entry with no boundary fence, so
takings from programme sales were inevitably less.
The
1980 ‘2001 Gala’ took space and the future as its theme. Fancy dress
produced all manner of spacemen and aliens, but one greatly appreciated
entrant wore sandwich boards proclaiming ‘Wilsden News 2001 – the road’s
been made up!’ The gala secretary wrote to the American Enbassy and to
the USAF at Mildenhall in the hopes of getting posters or other display
material about the American space programme, but to no avail. Committee
members showed their usual resourcefulness in devising new games such as
flying saucers using silver Frisbees, name the robot, and throwing
balls into a black hole which had been an open-mouthed clown the year
before. As well as more usual entertainments, the Yorkshire Water
authority brought an exhibition. The Mixenden Royals Jazz Band played.
Karen Mercer was queen. The following Saturday, she won the Queen’s
Float competition at Cullingworth Gala.
In
1981 the relevant Saturday was the 4th of July, so it is not surprising
that Wilsden put on the All American Gala. However a distinctly French
flavour was added when Wilsden Twinning Association organised a visit by
54 French men, women and children from Wilsden’s twin town Eppeville
for the same weekend. While not quite equalling the jubilee programme,
the committee did arrange a week of events leading up to gala day:
Sunday June 28th a round Wilsden pram race, Monday a carnival disco for
over 14s, Tuesday Mild and Bitter finals, Wednesday family sport
evening, Thursday Senior Citizens slideshow and songs by Parkside Middle
School, a junior disco in the evening for 10-13 year olds, Friday film
show for under 10s and of course Saturday the gala and dance. Donna
Gavros at twelve years old was the youngest gala queen since the galas
re-started in 1971. Part of the reason for the queens being younger was
that older teenagers were getting Saturday jobs, which made it difficult
for them to fulfil their two main engagements during the year. One was
to attend the Senior Citizens’ party where they usually gave out raffle
prizes, the other to come to the following year’s gala to crown their
successor, both these being Saturday events. Donna went on to win first
prize for a queen’s float at Haworth gala. In Wilsden a barbeque and
waffles gave refreshments a transatlantic flavour and floats, fancy
dress and games reflected the theme, though entertainment by Uncle
Ernie, Wilsden Girls Gym Club and Bradford Boys’ Brigade Band were
rather Old World while a colourful display by the Eppeville Majorettes
et la Fanfare added to the international mix.
Shipley
MP Marcus Fox and his wife judged the fancy dress, accompanied by a
genuine American, Dr. Barrett, visiting family in Wilsden at just the
right time.