manxmaid Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 Just wondered how many members here actually remember White City, I have vague memories....can anyone remember what stalls were there.. I remember the Go Karts and the old wooden roller coaster.... I know there were loads of sideshows but I can only just about remember the layout of the place.... Reason I am asking is that I visited Botany Bay (In Lancs) the other day and stumbled across a copy of a book by Sue Dyson called....Fairfield Rose..... it is based on White City, very easy reading and it even has a character with my surname lol. Did anyone you knew of actually work there? Was it just a seasonal place or open all year round.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScope Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 My dad worked there in his youth (before I came along), on a "shoot the cans down with an air rifle" stall I think. I remember white city, certainly what sticks out in my mind is the Big Slide (fun!), the Ghost Train (ropey!), and knocking coke bottles down by throwing a ball at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studmuffin Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 The bmx track was ace !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 I think I still have scars from burns received from the big slide. Great fun though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manxman In Exile Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 Ah, the Ghost Train! It lurched around a narrow track in the dark with bits of wool (it felt like) tickling the top of your head, with hplastic skulls flashing from time to time, and then it would stop in the darkness and then jolt off again with a siren wailing just as it banged out through the doors at the end of the ride. Innocent days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Flynn Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 Worked as a student on loads of stalls. Prize every time ( you used to get chocolate each time you rolled the ball) Darts needed 65 from 3 darts to win a prize. Hoola Hoop Another shoot 6 numbers and if they were a winning total you won. I gave a whole stall of prizes away one night. Too many winners. I got moved! Bingo. Go Karts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathen Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 My dad worked there in his youth (before I came along), on a "shoot the cans down with an air rifle" stall I think. I remember white city, certainly what sticks out in my mind is the Big Slide (fun!), the Ghost Train (ropey!), and knocking coke bottles down by throwing a ball at them. And collecting vouchers when you won so you could save up for the "bigger" prizes! I remember it all quite well. Thinking you were a Robin Hood type on the archery? Or soaking each other on the canoes? The go-karts? Something like "on the red pedal slowly in" and if you went for another lap gettting the shout of "you,you,YOU!" I wired the first of the new houses and apartments that were built there so couldn't help but recall a more innocent time when looking at the wasteland that remained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hboy Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 I have very fond memories of (Sh)White City. What a dump. It must have been the worst funfair of its time anywhere in the UK - from the crappy Ghost Train, to the sludge filled boating lake complete with "Tunnel of Love" (a concrete pipe covered with gorse at one side). The Go Karts were ace though, and the dodgems were pretty good to. Plus you had the constant background noise of Frankies bottle stall "Everyone's a winner!" So crap and yet great childhood memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxmaid Posted August 26, 2006 Author Share Posted August 26, 2006 Thanks for all your replies...... I don't remember the tunnel of love.... was there a gypsy/fortune telling type kiosk thingy? Also A carousel? Does anyone have or know of anywhere online that has any pics of White City? Can anyone remember the stalls on the outside at the rear and the stalls that were on the side overlooking the bay? And what was actually inside? Yes I do vaguely remember it being quite grotty and tacky....... but that was normal for the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 Yes, pictuures of this place would be cool. I've seen a book on Old Ramsey and that was interesting but as far as the rest of the island goes, I've not seen all that much. How about some old pictures of lost places of wonder in general - seems to me that most of what was cool has gone now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempus Fugit Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 was't there a bingo place, and hot dog stall and Joseph Karma ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Just wondered how many members here actually remember White City, I have vague memories....can anyone remember what stalls were there.. I remember the Go Karts and the old wooden roller coaster.... I know there were loads of sideshows but I can only just about remember the layout of the place....Reason I am asking is that I visited Botany Bay (In Lancs) the other day and stumbled across a copy of a book by Sue Dyson called....Fairfield Rose..... it is based on White City, very easy reading and it even has a character with my surname lol. Did anyone you knew of actually work there? Was it just a seasonal place or open all year round.... The photo taken before any of our times I suspect. But a grumpy old man of my acquaintance tells me that he worked on Eddie Barrow's go karts in the evenings in the summer and odd times during the year on repair andmainentance as a supplement to his poor apprentice wages. Willy Moore organised them he seems to remember. He thinks that Brian delaney was on the Wall of Death? The ghost trains were continually breaking down and the lights would come on while you were in the tunnel, showing all the bits of string (cobwebs) hanging down etc. ! Spoiled the effect somewhat. Mus have been hysterical! That's it! /off topic Found the one below from the same excellent website link Gay Gordons? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mangler Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 How about the film clips of White City in the classic film NO LIMIT,only remember the empty shell of the place when we moved over in 1979,mind you back then there were other grand places to visit on your days off.The other week-end we were at the Tramway Museum in Crich and was supprised to see a little feature about the Isle of Man trams,they also have one tram from the Marine parade line,pity the IOM goverment didn't repair the marine parade road.Port Soderich was a good day out on a sunny day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Flynn Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Thanks for all your replies...... I don't remember the tunnel of love.... was there a gypsy/fortune telling type kiosk thingy?Also A carousel? Does anyone have or know of anywhere online that has any pics of White City? Can anyone remember the stalls on the outside at the rear and the stalls that were on the side overlooking the bay? And what was actually inside? Yes I do vaguely remember it being quite grotty and tacky....... but that was normal for the time. There were quite a few outside stalls. One had a horse race where the winner won a tin tea pot or something similar. Rifle shooting was both inside and outside. There was a gypsy on the road leading up to the fairground. They used to live in a small hut on the site. Inside there were one penny machines - all very old and always needing attention plus the Housey-Housey stalls in the centre - the main attraction. All the time there were records playing - Cliff Richard -Batchelor Boy, Elvis. Joseph Karma and his wife Elizabeth started at White City in the Theatre - in the 1950's. I earned £6 per week for six days - 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday off. Takings on each stall if I remember right was something like £20 daily. (early 60's). The place was owned by the Myers family. Mr Myers - the boss -looked like the rag and bone man! People were very surprised when they found he was the owner. His wife and David his son assisted him. He had another son Russell. Mrs Myers in the 70's ran a dress shop at the Palace shops during the summer. He eventually sold the place to his brother I think as money problems were occurring. It didn't keep up with the times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last Ten Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 The guy who has and runs the spectator seating area to this day at Hillberry used to have a stall at the old White City, I cannot remember his name but I think he used to run the stall where you had to knock Coke bottles over on a ramp with a ball? Mrs Last Ten has some fond memories of White City as she used to practically live there as a kid Last 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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