Flag and Bone Gang

Yarm Fair

Yarm Horse Fair 

Yarm is a small town near Stockton-on-Tees in the North East of England. 

The fair is held in the High Street in the third week of October, starting on the Tuesday evening and lasts until Saturday night.

Travelling in a bow top waggon

 Yarm Fair is one of our last glorious Street, Gypsy and Pleasure Fairs to be held in the North East and the fair was established way back in 1214 originally trading in cheese and livestock. In the early 1900's over 500 tons of cheese would arrive into Yarm, in more than 400 horse drawn carts. Today you can still buy many different cheeses, from little exclusive shops rather from the open air traders, nibbling as you wend you way around the fair!

Keep them safe!

Three pretty girls!

My lass

Yarm Fair is held annually in the second week of October, seeing some of the best local horses and the first Autumnal frosts. The pleasure fair sets up at one end of the High Street and the supporters of the traditional horse fair at the bridge end of the High Street. 

                                                                With my polecats

Today Gypsies, Travellers and Supporters who attend the fair with waggons, can only cross over the bridge into Yarm High Street at 6pm on the Tuesday, with the fast running of the horses up and down the High Street on Saturday morning.

                                                       In a traditional living waggon

Waiting to pull out

Young boy with his lurcher

Yarm Fair is a little gem, and deserves support from both the Settled and Gypsy Community to keep the fair alive, allowing future generations a glimpse into one part of the traditional heritage of  our North East.

Hector the Protector...on guard!

...Yarm Fair for the clatter of hooves and the rattle of harness!...

Locos in Motion

One of the best traditional dancing sides in the North East of England, seen here at Saltburn Folk Festival 2011.The dancers are in the  Welsh Border style, blacking up their faces traditionally as a disguise. Dancing in clogs and clashing their sticks, they always draw a big crowd...although everyone stands well back!

The Royal Photographic Society- 154th Print Exhibition, 2011

Maurice Surtees waiting for his birds.

The Royal Photographic Society have selected my portrait of Maurice Surtees, as part of their 154th International Print Exhibition touring the UK.

Maurice, a North East pigeon fancier had built his pigeon cree together with his late father in the1950’s. Recently a land developer had tried to purchase the land, demolish the pocket of historic crees, evict the pensioners, destroying their beloved racing pigeons, only to add more buildings in an already built up area of Sunderland.

Maurice, stood bravely in the face of eviction, successfully having his cree Grade 2 Listed, so for now the developers have been kept at bay, the pigeons are still racing, and Maurice has become somewhat of a local hero for his bravery! 

His is the only listed racing pigeon loft in the world, and is proudly painted red, blue and white.  

Hopefully my portrait of Maurice in his cree and waiting for his pigeons to return, will add some impact and clout to his cause to save the crees, and keep a North East tradition alive and fluttering.