" PAST " FIRST ROYAL EASTER SHOW AFTER THE WAR

 

An odd view inside the old Showground, the lofty clock tower 
of the main Grandstand can be seen in the left background.

 

 Me ( at the same age as the little boy with the beach bucket a few days ago) standing with my Dad at the Moore Park Entrance to the Showground- I had known nothing like this in my life; I had been told that we were going "to the Show", which I gathered would be good, but that was all. Now here we were being shoved through the turnstiles in these pokey little entrance gates with the rest of the crowds from the trams pushing behind.Then :

BAM! IT HIT ME LIKE A HEAVENLY REVELATION! "SHOCK", "AWE", WONDERMENT" I HAD NO TERMS OF REFERENCE : MY MIND REELED:

The ground fell away from the gates down a moderate slope, exaggerating the effect of the wonderful sights confronting me. Could this be real? So much , so pleasing and obviously all dedicated to fun - look : in the distance a huge Ferris Wheel turning, and I could hear a Merry Go Round, and there were people selling all sorts of colorful toys, rattlers, spinning coloured fans and kids everywhere eating ice creams, chocolates, hot dogs, pluto pups and real hot chips AND carrying large paper bags with string handles - in a very possessive manner! WONDERLAND!!

Dad began to instruct me in Show craft - it was neither possible nor desirable to try to see everything at once - we needed a plan of attack. The whole Showground was built around the Main Arena in effect. In the West where we had entered - this had to be the Main Entrance - were the Hordern Pavilion with all sorts of commercial exhibits and South of that was the Show Bag Pavilion. The Plan made this the last port of call before we exited to the Tram.To the East of the Showbags was a rowdy collection of garish, noisy, "rides"and freak shows and Jimmy Sharman's Boxing Troop. From there, further East and round the Eastern boundary Wall were all sorts of animal Pavilions - horses, cattle, sheep, dogs, cats, birds,by the hundred - each with their own intermingling unpleasant smells. Then around further was the Horticultural Pavilion, supplemented by a grand Merry Go Round and then along the Northern Boundary wall was the Wood Chopping. Various other odds and sods were sprinkled around the area - such as new car exhibitions and food stalls, mostly the latter were tucked in under the seating stands for the grand arena. But the two grand features of the Eastern side of the Arena were two truly huge brick Pavilions one in red brick and the other with a rendered surface marked out like stone blocks, The two of them were close together and they soared to a great height via stepped end walls and soaring steel arches supporting each roof.

In the red brick Pavilion we found a Spitfire hanging from the roof arches and a brand new and entirely novel centre aisle AIR-CONDITIONED railway carriage which was about to go into service on the "Newcastle Flyer"the crack inter-city Express.Amazing stuff! One of the key features of the 1947 Show was the British Empire Exhibition. Maybe the Spitfire was part of that - otherwise the B E Ex had no impact on me.

I don't remember what we had to eat or drink, except "Hot Tasmanian Potato Chips"excellent! It was good to know that Tasmania produced something good and useful instead of just Apples and more Apples.Tasmanian Chips were to become a ritual part of every visit to the Show for decades afterwards and I had the pleasure of introducing our three children to them in the 1970's. Sadly, in the early 1980's during some Tasmanian economy drive they ceased appearing - once again "all good things must come to an end".

In time, our day at the Show was coming to an end and Dad guided me back to the Showbag Pavilion. Wonders once again! The showbags were truly very different then and true to their original name : "Sample Bags". They always contained special small versions of the particular company's wares. The one I prized most, apart from the Hoadley's Chocolates Bag with its wonderful "Chocolate Polly Waffle"( which was still being produced until 2010!) , was the Pick Me Up Sauce Bag with about five or six miniature bottles of various sauces ( most of which I'd never tasted) I didn't care about the sauce - I was fascinated by the bottle shapes!As they clinked and clattered together, the bag proved to be a cause for friction on the way home. I think I got about 5 or 6 bags - at two shillings( one florin) and sixpence each [nominally 25 Cents] they were not expensive - as advertising they were heavily subsidised by the companíes and gaudily printed with their characteristic stylised name and colours.

So it was off home by tram to Central Station in Eddy Street,then up the ramp and stairs to the electric trains and home to Berala.

You may note that through this account I have not mentioned my Mum. I can't remember her being with us - which she was in most future years even though I believe she didn't relish the crowded experience. I believe Mum must have stayed home to avoid expected heavy crowding.

A 1947 Florin- two shillings - known as "two bob" - nominal equivalent of 20 Cents.Note the Australian Coat of Arms and the Profile of George VI "By the Grace of God"! (D.G.) King of All the Britains "Defender of the Faith"! (F.D.) (the title bestowed by the Pope on King Henry VIII for his written "Defence of the Seven Sacraments" , before he apostasised retaining the title nonetheless!)      Emperor of India.