THE SHOWS MUST GO ON ..AND ON
Percival clan keep up funfair tradition
year’s festival and it’s the highlight of many showpeople’s lives. They spend 10 to 11 months on the road, working at different carnivals and fairgrounds across Scotland and England but keep coming back to Glasgow every Christmas.
Edward snr said that growing up surrounded by fun and games has been his family’s way of life for as long as anyone can remember.
“We’ve never know any different,” he said. “That was my life and that was it, and we certainly didn’t want to change anything – and why would we? It’s a great life and it still is.
“People ask us about education for the kids but if you ask any teacher they’ll say that showpeople’s children are very bright because of the lifestyle they lead, meeting people all the time, and when they go back to school, they catch up straight away.”
Margaret added: “Kids used to get a leaving licence from school and would go to schools in
Wishaw and Hamilton and they’d always have to make new friends at every school. But now they can get work packs so they can get home schooling.”
Edward jnr, 43, has fond memories of his own childhood adventures at the carnival. And he delights that sons Edward, 11, and Harris, seven, get to do the same.
He said: “We have our caravans on the car park here, but years ago we used to have them at a fairground park in Partick and my first memory of that is driving home at night and seeing them selling the next day’s morning papers by the side of the road.
“As a kid, one of the main things was the circus, Bobby Roberts’ circus, and we knew everyone who worked there and because we got in for free, everyday we’d go and watch the circus. Now my kids are doing what I used to do, running about playing the games and going on the rides for free and meeting up with all their pals from this time last year.”
He added: “I am very proud of our family links and I’d like to think the kids will carry on after us and we’ll always be part of this carnival.”
The anniversary edition of the carnival was opened last week by Still Game legend Ford Kiernan and Bailie Marie Garrity of Glasgow City Council, who spoke of her own history with the carnival. Marie said: “My mum and dad worked in the circus when I was a wee girl.
“My dad John, who is dead now, was a ring boy and my mum Jean, who’s now 83, was an usherette and I’d come to work with them and feed the chimpanzees with baby bottles and see the clowns getting their make up on in the dressing rooms and I adored it.
“I’ve always loved the circus and the carnival and I honestly wish them well for another 100 years.”
Carnival manager Margaret Cowan added: “This is something that has been handed down from generation to generation and people remember coming here with their parents and then return with their own children and grandchildren.
“It’s exactly what it says on the packet, it’s a fun fair – and people just want to come to the funfair.”
●The Irn-Bru Carnival at Glasgow SEC is on until January 12, see www.irn-brucarnival.com for tickets and details.
We’ve got five generations of the family connected to it
EDWARD PERCIVAL SNR ON THE IRN-BRU CARNIVAL