Ron Levett's childhood memories, from the early 1930's, when he lived in the small village of Alfriston in Sussex

Once a year a travelling fair came to the village. It was probably later in the year because it got dark about 8 o'clock and it was still quite warm. They set up the rides and sideshows on the Tye.

The major ride was a steam roundabout. I remember that every revolution as you came round past the engine you could feel the heat from the boiler and smell the smoke. The steam organ was on the other side of the roundabout. Every time I hear Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy nowadays I can smell the smoke of the fair engine.

The music was controlled by punched card. Nowadays we would call it fan-folded, like computer paper. Some of the equipment was pulled, when on the move, by a magnificent showman's traction engine. This had large red wheels and a canopy supported by highly polished twisted brass rods. This had the name of the fair along the side.

On the front of the machine was a large generator, run by a belt from the flywheel. This supplied current for the lights on the engine. It also supplied current for the remainder of the fairground and the other rides. There were also numerous sideshows such as roll-a-penny, darts and a rifle range that used very inaccurate air rifles.

There was a sign on the boat-swings that said 'No Standing up in the Swings'. Who stood up in the swings? Why Kate did of course. And who fell out of the swings? Why Kate did of course. If I remember correctly, she put her teeth through her lip, and looked a sorry sight. I believe an ambulance was called and she was carried off to Princess Alice Hospital. However she was soon back to her normal self and the incident forgotten. I don't think she has ever been in the boat-swings since.

Another great yearly event, or at least as far as we children were concerned, was Bonfire Night. It all started fairly quietly in the late summer, probably with Committee meetings between local tradesmen and other interested parties.

The first event was a Fancy Dress Ball held in the hall behind the Star Inn, roughly in the position that the new staff quarters now occupy. I think this was held just before the Celebrations.

My father and Freddie acquired cowboy costumes and they each borrowed a .45 revolver from Bert Carter (They would all probably get six months for possessing firearms these days!) The other costume I remember well was a man dressed as a Butterfly. His costume was stitched with thousands of sequins. When he lifted his arms he was quite spectacular.

The guy or guys were built in the barn at home, which is why we knew so much about it. They were completely stuffed with fireworks of all kinds.

The torches for the processions were made in what was then Len Wilde's coal yard. They consisted of a stout piece of wood, at the end of which a bundle of cotton was secured with steel wire. The torches were left to soak overnight in a barrel of paraffin, in order to completely impregnate them and give a longer burning time

The bonfires were built in various places. The one I remember best was in the field above White Court. It was a huge affair some thirty feet high.

We village lads were given the job of providing illumination for the bandsmen of the Silver Band, which led each procession. There were about 4 or 5 processions in all. They all started in the village square, fanning out to cover most areas of the village.

Every year, one of the Lewes Bonfire Societies sent a contingent to help in the festivities. They were all dressed as Red Indians complete with their full feather headdresses. We all thought they looked magnificent.

One of the processions went to Lullington and on the way over Longbridge they dropped a flaming tar barrel into the Cuckmere. The grand finale to the celebrations was usually a large set piece firework display with things like a crown and wording such as 'God Save the King', all picked out in fire.

Ron Levett, 2001