The Showmen’s Guild was founded over a hundred years ago to protect and further the interests of travelling showmen who gain their livelihoods by attending fairs and providing various kinds of entertainment. It operates its own rules for the orderly running of fairs and for the conduct of its members, both on and off fairgrounds. It has a national membership of 4,700. As membership lists only heads of families, the total number of persons involved is far higher.

The Church was traditionally involved in arranging such fairs, either as part of the celebration of a Christian festival or to convert a pagan festival into a Christian one. The association of the Church is still very much alive. Canon Bill Hall has been chaplain to the Northern Section of the Showmen’s Guild since early 1970.

To all intents and purposes, he is vicar to some 450 families of showmen in the Guild’s Northern Section. Through the nature of their work, they are unable to maintain contact with a local church. Their contact is rather through the chaplain, as he visits the fairgrounds, the winter quarters and the homes of those who no longer travel. These visits are frequently at times of sorrow due to bereavement, or times of anxiety due to sickness, or at times of celebration due to weddings and wedding anniversaries, or birthdays, baptisms and confirmations. Through this ministry he enjoys a close working relationship with many parish clergy, building a bridge, wherever possible, between the local church and families of showmen at a nearby fairground or winter quarters.

From time to time there are also opportunities for involvement in other aspects of their lives. It might be, for example, supporting them in difficulties over the siting of a fair. In June 2000, as part of the national Year of the Artist initiative, he arranged for an artist in residence on Newcastle’s great Town Moor Fair.

On 14 January 1981, he was honoured by the Guild when they made him an Honorary Life Member.

See also the section on Commissions: the Year of the Artist

For further information contact Bill Hall