One of Sheffield’s oldest family businesses secure £120,248 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for an ambitious project celebrating eight generations of travelling fairground heritage.
The Showmen of Sheffield will tell the remarkable story of the Pullin family, one of Britain’s oldest travelling fairground families, and explore the role their fairs have played in the lives of generations of Sheffield people.
The 30-month project will collect photographs, memorabilia and oral histories from the Pullin family, the wider travelling showmen community and members of the public.
A major element will also focus on safeguarding traditional fairground crafts. Two historic 1950s children’s rides will be restored, providing opportunities for people to learn more about the specialist hand-painting and decorative skills traditionally associated with fairgrounds.
The project will ultimately create exhibitions, a documentary film, podcasts, creative workshops, school activities, interpretation panels, a commemorative book and a dedicated Pullin Family Collection within the National Fairground and Circus Archive.
The Showmen of Sheffield will now work with volunteers, schools, community groups and heritage organisations to ensure this distinctive piece of Sheffield history is preserved for future generations.