“Who were the Hancocks?” That was the question posed when our speaker acquired a fairground steam engine some thirty years ago. The records showed it had been supplied to W., C. & S. Hancock. Initial investigations revealed that William, Charles and Sophie Hancock travelled the West Country with their fairground amusements at the turn of the twentieth century.

They were larger-than-life characters, and even a century later their legacy could still be felt among showmen in the West. This talk tells the story of the Hancock family and the challenges of researching itinerant showpeople in the days before everything was readily available online.

About our speaker
Stephen Smith spent his working life teaching in Staffordshire, but was born in Hull, not far from the site of Hull Fair, which gave him a lifelong interest in travelling fairs. He has written books about the subject, and is editor of the Fairground Society’s quarterly magazine. In addition to the academic work, he is also involved in preserving fairground artefacts, from pieces of artwork to full-size showmen’s caravans and roundabouts.