The Honicknowle Carnival started in 1933. This photo shows the Maypole Dancers on their cart ready to take part in the Carnival of 1934. Pictured in Butt Park Road, this photo includes Constance Brimacombe, Winnie and Lily Lee, Beryl Ivey, Millie Shears, Joyce Chapman and Mary McKee.
The annual carnival was organised by Edgar Lewis and attracted thousands of people from all over the city. In the days before the building of the many housing estates in the 1950s, Honicknowle was a very different place with farms, quarries, a brick works and open spaces.The nearby Woodland Fort housed troops and at different times, also housed families and was used for recreational purposes.
Events in the carnival included maypole dancing (very popular at the time), ladies football, children's competitions ,fancy dress shows and various sports events. A Carnival Queen would preside over events. In 1933, the Queen was Hilda Pearn. In 1934, the Queen was Florence Ivey and in 1935, Agnes Lewis had the honour. The Parade was a very popular part of the carnival and included horses and carts from local farmers as well as local residents.
In 1939, Honicknowle Week, as the carnival was known, ceased for nine years because of the Second World War. In that year, Joyce Chapman was Queen. The Carnival was revived in 1948 and attracted more attention than it had in previous years because of the growth of housing in the area.The 1949 carnival included wagons and decorated horses. Thirteen Carnival Queens from other parts of the City took part in the parade and there were 130 entrants in the fancy dress parade. Joan Slater, who was Miss Honicknowle, presented the first prize to Valerie Steele and also presented the prizes for the juvenile talent contest. The day ended with old time dancing and an al fresco dance in the street.
The Carnival seemed to end once the new housing estates were built in the 1950s. The village life that was once Honicknowle had now gone. Farms were built on and the brickworks was eventually knocked down. A way of life had suddenly changed forever.
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