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The
fairground show was a key element of the early
fairs, and the origin of the term 'showman'
relates directly to the art of travelling and
managing a fairground show. Over time, with the
mechanical and technological advancement of
fairground rides, the show became an aspect of
history. The story of the fairground show is as
exciting as the show itself. The showmen had to
adopt, change and be creative and imaginative
with their presentations.
The
fairground shows of the early to mid-nineteenth
century are perhaps the most documented of all
the amusements that appeared on the fairground
until the introduction of steam powered
roundabouts. Their heyday was in the first fifty
years of the nineteenth century, with
Menageries, Circuses, Ghost shows, Exhibitions
and Waxworks all dominating the showground
landscape during this period. Lord George
Sanger, Tom Norman and the famous Bostock of
Menagerie fame all became household names. The
showmen developed ingenuity and style, and the
gullible public flocked to see not just the
great Waxworks and Menagerie shows but also the
peep shows, illusion booths and exhibitions of
freaks.
However, the fairground shows developed
many forms and have achieved varying degrees of
success on the twentieth century fairground,
with boxing shows, parading booths and the
modern funhouses and ghost trains all linked to
their nineteenth century counterparts.
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