ILFORD HOSPITAL CARNIVAL

Hospital worker, Ben Henderson, came up with the idea to raise funds to build a much-needed emergency hospital for the district. He called a public meeting to discuss the possibility of starting "Hospital Saturday". Fewer than a dozen attended, but the die was cast and soon an enthusiastic and influential committee sprang into operation to develop a huge spectacular carnival. The site chosen for the hospital was a plot of freehold land in Abbey Road, Newbury Park.

The first Ilford Hospital Carnival took place in 1905. Seven Wards participated, each following a route within its own boundary before merging with the main procession that headed towards Central (Valentines) Park. The route of Seven Kings Ward started at Downshall Schools.

Leading the Seven Kings procession was a banner closely followed by the band of "C." Company, 1st V.B. Essex Regiment. A coach decorated with electric lights excited the crowd - the concept of electric lighting still a novelty for many in 1905. "'Arries' 'Oliday" amused with a pair of "mokes" pulling a carriage urged forward with a bunch of carrots being dangled under their noses. Other displays included Quaker Oats, the "Bovril Bulls", "The Heptarchy - the Seven Kings", "The Guardian Car", the Leyton fire engine, decorated bicycles, 38 lady collectors in nurses' costumes accompanied by several gentlemen, and children and adults in fancy dress.

Loxford Ward's parade included cars decorated by teachers and pupils of Cleveland Road Schools. They showed the Queen of Hearts and her Court, May Day Mummers, a Japanese Group and the Snow Queen with her Maids of Honour.

Riders from the Westminster Dragoons looked very smart in their scarlet tunics, with cross-belts and swords, silver helmets and purple plumes. The brass bands were well apart so their tunes did not clash to any degree. Prizes for the cycle riders were difficult to judge due to very numerous entries and all being excellent; also public encroachment prevented all the cycles being properly seen. There were many novel ideas such as the gondola shown on the right of this picture.

A child's cot with nurses attending. 

The first Hospital Carnival was a great success with some parts continuing until nearly midnight. Some ways of raising money fared better than others; Shilling badges sold well, but "Hospital Stamps" not so much. Maybe badges were favoured because 'badged' persons were less likely to be approached by collectors a second time. One organiser was too eager when throwing a collection box over to a doctor he recognised. It resulted in the medical practitioner receiving a bruised eye and gashed cheek.

Cheering crowds lined the entire route to watch. The entertainment continued inside the park during the evening. Ilford Swimming Club held swimming and diving displays, polo matches and team races. An amusing incident happened during the aquatic sports, a young man rowing on the lake witnessed a woman falling overboard from another boat. He immediately dived in to rescue the damsel in distress only to find it was a man dressed as a woman. A concert took place on the bandstand and elsewhere in the park the Horns Silver Band played music selections while girls from Ilford Gymnasium performed calisthenics while swinging Indian clubs.

Arrangements for the 1906 Hospital Saturday were fixed for July 13th beginning about three in the afternoon. Seven processions started from different points as in the previous year and later merged into one grand pageant. The entries were so numerous that the main procession from Seven Kings to Valentines Park stretched over three miles in length.

Fancy dress at the 1906 carnival.

Park Ward's prize-winning trade car 'Ye Olde English Wedding' was entered into the carnival by Ernest Frank Hart, a jobmaster who rented out horses and carriages at his livery stable in Ilford Lane. During the event a silver horseshoe went missing from the Bride's carriage. A newspaper advert promised a liberal reward for its return. Whether it was recovered is unknown.

For the 1907 carnival the Post Office presented "His Majesty's Mails" dressed as walking pillar-boxes. They were followed by a tableau showing a servant girl posting a letter, while a postman with his bag waited to make a collection. Telegram messengers were depicted with telegraph wires overhead. This picture also shows postmaster Mr. S. Morgan and chief clerk Mr. C. Vyse.

Cranbrook Ward's 'Sons of the Empire' celebrated the British Empire. The British Empire began in the late 1500s under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The empire ruled over 400 million people making it the largest empire in history. Trade and political partnerships played a very important part, but for some it meant loss of land, discrimination and prejudice. Many African princes became extremely rich selling their own people into slavery. Britain helped abolish the slave trade in 1807, however Parliament did nothing to stop young white British children working down mines, up chimneys or in workhouses at that time. Many countries benefited from education, medical care and railways, but others fell into civil unrest.

This is possibly Ilford Cycling Club with an attractive display called "Country Life". Like the previous year, the club won first prize for cycle turnout. This was not the only windmill on display in 1907. Cranbrook Ward had a Great White Windmill in their procession, along with sacks of flour, and Dutch customers.

Ilford Social Cycle Club won second place in the Best Cycle Turn Outs category with "Rival Blues".

Seven Kings and Goodmayes Horticultural Society, presented "A Tribute to Flora" with a goddess surrounded by a bevy of virgins.

By 1907 Fairlop Fair no longer existed, but this did not prevent 'The Fairlop Boat' making the occasional public appearance. Here it is taking part in Loxford Ward's procession.

Loxford Ward's "A Village Social" depicted country folk enjoying an evening together amid all the elements of rusticity. 

Rainham Town Band and the ward banner were at the head of the Clementswood procession, closely followed by Oakfield Cycling Club. The club made a very pretty tableau which represented Oakfield Kindergarten School. A refreshment float provided by Mr. W Harris generously supplied milk to the school children taking part in the procession.

Humour at the 1908 Ilford Hospital Carnival in the form of 'Ye Olde Prehistoric Whist Drive', by the original Newmans, offering a booby prize of a Gents Shark Skin Back Scratcher, and for the Ladies a Small Teak Club. 

During 1908, architects submitted their ideas for the first block of the proposed emergency hospital to the Hospital Governors. Assessor, Mr. Percy Adams, at the Town Hall, was given the job to select from over 45 sets of plans. The first block would accommodate 23 beds at a cost of between £800 and £900. The sum of £4,200 had been raised towards the cost of the complete building, which would provide accommodation for 100 beds.

Ilford Ratepayers' Association provided "Butterflies" in the Loxford Ward parade. To the left stands a Pearly King. Henry Croft became the first Pearly King in the late 1870s. He created a sequin suit to draw attention to himself when promoting his fund-raising activities and started a tradition.

The Post Office tableau car of 1908, depicted a log cabin in North-West Canada with settlers hacking at two large tree trunks and receiving letters from home. Staff built the cabin from real logs in their spare time at the Post Office yard. The cabin was later sold to raise money for the hospital fund.

Standing in front of the Post Office's log cabin... 'Parcel post', 'Eggs with care', 'Postman of a century ago', 'Rejected parcel, too long', 'Newspaper', 'Telegraph messengers', 'Letter found open and officially sealed' and 'Registered letter'.

There was a tableau called "The Robin Hoods" that followed the Post Office display and this may be it. However, that has not been confirmed.

'Cowboys and Indians' may have been inspired by showman William Frederick Cody (Buffalo Bill) visiting Ilford with his world famous Wild West Show. It drew large audiences to watch 'Life on the range', 'Custer's Last Stand', horse-riding cowboys demonstrating their shooting skills and Carter the Cowboy performing a daring stunt of jumping 40 feet from one ramp to another on a bicycle!

Fancy dress at the 1908 carnival.

The judges had no difficulty in awarding Park Ward's "The Rose Arbor" first prize in its class. Twenty-six ladies and gentlemen splendidly dressed in either white, cream, pink, or dark red costumes, walked in pairs carrying slender poles forming beautiful arched garlands of hand-made roses. A large team of workers took over five months to prepare this display.

Park Ward's "Justice with Peace" featured "Justice", dressed in white silk, blindfolded, hair fashioned in a Grecian style, and sitting with a drawn sword in hand. Maidens at the four corners, wore white and silver dresses and wreaths of olive leaves, and held silver wands as emblems of peace. The car was draped in pale yellow and purple, with pillars of yellow flowers.

'The Snowstorm', a study in black and white, in Cranbrook Ward's parade. The 1908 procession was larger than ever and stretched four miles on its way to Valentine's Park.

Written and photographed by Raymond Small.

Memorabilia courtesy Daylop Collection.