Canvey Carnival 1960 & Festival 1963
Pauline Hayford nee Woodcock *Updated*
I have seen in the ‘Old Canvey’ Carnival section of CanveyIsland.org.uk that you have included photos from the 1960 Carnival which I sent to Val Philips (nee Sparkes) as she did not have a photographic record of this event. I was the runner up and therefore one of the Carnival Princesses that year and my name then was Pauline Woodcock. I have a collection of further photos of the Canvey Queen’s Court taken both during the Canvey carnival week and at other carnivals throughout Essex in which we took part that year, plus newspapers of the various events.
Canvey Carnival 1960: Pauline Woodcock is left & Valerie Sparkes is on the right
The above Photo is of the Carnival in 1960. We attended Romford Carnival on 18th June 1960, and the Canvey Queen’s crowning dance was held at the Monico that same evening. This is the reason why Iris Mason, who was the Carnival Queen in 1959, appeared on the float still as Queen and Maureen Burder did not take over until the following carnival which we attended at Thurrock on 2nd July 1960. We were then in the Barking carnival on 16th July 1960. The photo which you have already (below) via Val of us on the ‘Players’ float was taken on 18th July 1960.
Valerie Philips (then Sparkes) is on the right of the Players float. The Princess on the left was Pauline Woodcock & the carnival Queen sitting inside next to her was Maureen Burder. The girl sitting next to the driver was Iris, the queen from the previous year who was a guest
The 1960 Canvey Carnival was opened on 21st July and the parade took place on 23rd July. A carnival dance was held at The Haystack that evening. There was a drumhead service held at the War Memorial Hall on 24th July. The next carnival we attended was in Basildon on 1st August 1960 and the final Essex carnival in which we took part was at Southend towards the end of August. I have photos of all these events except of the Southend carnival as, for some reason I cannot now remember, there were none available. The end of carnival season dance was held at the Monico in September 1960.
There was also a Canvey Festival held in 1963 and there was a competition to find a Canvey Festival Princess. This was held at the Rio Cinema and there were 17 entrants – I came 2nd. I have newpapers cuttings of this too.
I hope this information is of some use for the archives.
Pauline Hayford
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Comments about this page
Is that Anne Marshall in centre of pic?
Are there any photos out there of all the different floats parked up in Haven Road before the start of the carnival,it would be interesting to see.
Only one that i know of is the Pompador players float next to the Dutch Cottage.
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