It began with cyclists getting together in 1885 and developed into a three-day carnival with fundraising events and a grand procession through the streets of Barnard Castle. As Nicky Carter reports, the generations who have taken part over the years are now being asked…
Barnard Castle Meet celebrates its’ 140th birthday this year. The event, held on Whit bank holiday weekend in May, started out as a bicycle meet put together by the North Eastern Cyclists, and saw thousands of competitors descend upon the town with their two-wheeled transport to take part.
But Barney’s Meet has transformed over the years and has featured all kind of activities from crowning ceremonies inside the castle to sulky racing on the Demesnes.
As part of their bid to become a charity, the small but dedicated volunteer team that organises the current day three-day family friendly event, want to hear from residents and visitors of what the Meet has meant to them over the years.
Colin Glasper joined the Meet committee six years ago when he retired, but his association with the event goes back decades. First as a child, then as an apprentice electrician helping set up the public address system while courting his wife.
His earliest memory of the Whit event was when he was aged just six years old.
He said: “I was going home from the Barney’s infant and junior school that was on the Demesnes and walking through Queen Street and Victoria Road looking up at the large wagons parked up with all the fun fair rides on a Wednesday waiting until they could move into place to set up.
“Back then the fair was set up on Galgate on the slip road in front of what was the plumbers and decorators, Barkers, Jenkinson’s electrical store, the Three Horseshoes and the Cartoon Bar Café.”
The sights, sounds and smells of the fun fair as rides including Waltzer, hobby horse carousel, coconut shy, rifle range, hook-a-duck were shoe-horned into the space along with stalls selling candyfloss, sticks of rock and hot dogs, added to anticipation of the Meet.
He added: “The excitement was great. Looking forward to a great weekend. On the day of the parade me and my two sisters would go with our parents to our nana’s who lived at 33 Baliol Street and meet up with other aunts, uncles and cousins to go and stand on Galgate Green for the start of the parade.
“There were always lots of jazz bands and they came from the pit villages. Their coaches would park in Dale and Hilton Road where they would start the parade.
“Lots of the residents would be overrun with kids needing to use their toilets and they didn’t charge a penny.
“Memories like these go on up to the middle sixties.”
In 1967, after starting work as an apprentice electrician with MW and E Jenkinson’s, Colin was roped in to help set up the Meet’s public address system by his boss Maurice Jenkinson – something he did for a decade.
He added: “There were two vans – a VW Transporter and a Hillman Imp. Both of these had specially made roof racks that could have the speakers fitted to them.
“The VW van was used on the Saturday afternoon in Woodleigh for the crowning of the carnival queen and other events.
“The small Hillman Imp van was used for the parade on Monday. Charlie Woodham was the driver and Ralph Finch, a local businessman and mayor, would do the announcing during the parade badgering the crowd to get money out to support the Meet.
“They would always stop at the DLI Club on Horsemarket for a pint each of Newcastle Ale.”
It was during this 10-year stint that that a new sporting event was launched as part of the Meet festivities.
Colin said: “The pram race ran from the junction of Green Lane and Victoria Road all the way down through Queen Street to the YMCA building, now the town’s rugby club, on Birch Road.”
The race was quite brutal as the two person teams – pushers had to wear ladies’ dresses while the baby’s attire was simply a nappy – hurtled through the streets and many tippled over spilling out their weighty babes.
“In 1968 I was pushing Doug Wearmouth and friends Ray Baker was pushed by Terry Kelly.
“Great fun,” he said.
The fun continued in the seventies with more visits to the funfair.
“Strange how little decisions can be life changing,” he added. “In 1971 me and my friends were legally able to drink and on bank holiday Monday we called into the pubs and clubs after the parade. Around 9.30pm we decided to call it a day and decided to have a last spin on the Waltzer where we met up with some girls.
“Most of them I knew as they worked at the Morritt Arms Hotel. One girl, Pauline, I took on the Waltzer. Eighteen months later we were married and this year we celebrate 53 years together.”
Even though Colin and his new wife moved away from Barney in the mid-seventies, they continued to visit each Whit to take part in festivities. When they returned in 1991, Pauline threw herself into helping organising the event, joining the Meet committee.
“Pauline eventually took on the treasurer role but worked alongside Ralph and Libby Richardson, Richard and Shelly Black and then chairman Peter Atkinson.
“I was working away at lot them but always helped out at Meet.”
At that time regulations regarding road closures and putting up bunting was vastly different to what it is now.
Colin said: “Road closures we just put up signs on the days on the road entrances to town. No costs involved. Now it costs us £2,900.
“Bunting, once we’d put wall fixings on buildings was done early on a Sunday morning with a ladder. Again, no costs involved and those who helped got a free breakfast at John Hinchcliffe’s Castle Café.”
As well as helping behind the scenes Colin has been a regular participant in the procession, with his good friend and Meet stalwart John Emerson dressing as Donald Trump and Winston Churchill, Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, Tony and Cherie Blair, as well as on his own in a variety of guise.
Six years ago, after retiring as an electrician Colin signed up to join the organising committee and has been a vital and enthusiastic volunteer ever since and was instrumental in the purchase of new bunting with safe and secure fixings, as well as the purchase of 50 Union flags that were mounted on buildings to add to the festive feel as well as to mark several national events.
He said: “Our aim is to make each year bigger and better and to continue the tradition of the Meet for the people of Barnard Castle.
“What we are hoping to do is put together testimonials from people on what the Meet has meant to them to present to the charity commission as part of our bid to achieve charitable status.”
l Anyone who is willing to share their Meet memories should email Colin Glasper at [email protected] or [email protected].
