Holiday on ice

Strange unrecognisable figures could be seen amongst the crowds wending their way up Westover Road and joining the queue to obtain entrance to the ice rink because it was time once again for the annual fancy dress party.

It always proved quite a spectacle for spectators and participants alike. And joining this throng would be Mr N L Silvester, curator of the Russell Cotes Museum, and his family.

It was New Year's Eve 1936, that I, as an eight year old, was first permitted to attend and then for the first hour only. I still remember being dressed in a simple Irish costume composed of green shamrocks and being so excited at seeing all the elaborate and flamboyant outfits beneath some of which I could just recognise my friends.

The next year, my family and particularly my father, enthused to the idea. Mr Silvester's costumes had to be huge and original and the whole family had to assist him in carrying two enormous wings down Westover Road so that he could win a prize for originality as Bird Man'.

These wings had a dual purpose and were so constructed that my father hoped to fly with them if only he could build up enough speed for a lift off.

The east beach at that time had few groynes and so father's first experiment took place on Bournemouth's firm sands. However he maintained that he did not gain full speed before he sprained his ankle.

A short time elapsed whilst his ankle recovered and then he approached the newly opened ice rink at Southampton and obtained permission to try out his wings on the ice.

Southampton ice rink was considerably longer than Bournemouth's, but even this was not long enough to suit my father's aspirations. He evidently was just obtaining lift-off when he reached the barrier!

Returning to the Westover Ice Rink in 1937 the Fancy Dress Carnival had proved so popular that Mr Pope, the manager, decided to hold two of these popular events, and so in November a gala was held to herald in the New Season.

In this particular gala, my sister, Paddy, was a royal page and she and a similarly attired page pulled on to the ice a Cinderella' type carriage out of which emerged Shirley Tory (British Junior Champion) who gave a splendid exhibition.

For this fancy dress parade, my mother had splashed out and hired me a most realistic chicken costume which, to my great delight earned me a prize.

My father really went to town. Following the scare in the USA, when a very dramatic rendering on American radio of HG Wells War of the Worlds' sent New Yorkers scurrying in their cars to flee the city, he decided to create a large rocket and entitled it The Man from Mars'.

Needless to say, once again, Mr Silvester won the most original prize.

At the same time, Ken Baily, the well known Bournemouth personality, came completely in disguise as Haile Selassie with an enormous umbrella. Ken won the very best costume award. And then came the second fancy dress carnival for 1938, namely on New Year's Eve. Father again came up trumps with his vast Van Gogh style sunflower. I was dressed as Alice in Wonderland complete with a wood cut-out of a flamingo so that I could play croquet.

No prize, alas, for me, but I had so much to look forward to.

At midnight I was to be the little fairy to bring in the year 1939. Just before 12, I was brought on to the ice by two angles, Pat Narborough and Patsy Horne, whilst Norman Silvester, skeleton-like with an enormous scythe, crept around the ice representing the dying year.

My job was to chase this spectre off the ice and then to give a short exhibition. I am afraid that the music which I chose was not at all fairy-like - it was a topical tune called Blaze Away.

My dress was a mass of sequinned gold and I was so thrilled to wear in front of such a large audience that I forgot all about my nobbly knees.

Well, what else did we do on these party evenings. The first event was usually a Paul Jones in which everyone who could do a three turn took part and what a thrill it was for me, at one of the parties, when I stopped opposite Graham Sharpe (world ice skating champion) and we danced together, his six feet towering above my four feet something.

Then there would be fun dances current at the time such as the Lambeth Walk, Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree, the Hokey Cokey and the hit of the evening, an enormous Conga which swerved in and out on the ice and then proceeded all round the ice rink and up the stairs to the balconies and in and out of the supper tables sending the waitresses rushing back into the kitchen.

There was speed skating, pair skating and sometimes exciting races such as the lighted candles, the teaspoon and egg, the balloon and, most thrilling of all, a pairs race where a lady squatting on a sort of tray was dragged round the ring by her male partner. Naturally the men all tried to grab the lightest partner and I was in great demand.

The prizes were Mars Bars, Milky Ways etc and so there was great competition amongst us children.

Then came the highlight of the evening - the Fancy Dress Parade. Hundreds of competitors, some hardly able to stand up, skated slowly round and round the rink. It seemed almost interminable to our excited minds but, or course, the judges needed all the time in the world to select the prize winners from such a selection of fascinating costumes.

We all knew how to enjoy ourselves and after midnight when we children were hustled hurriedly home, the mistletoe kissing and the drinking began (that was if the ice rink had managed to obtain an extended licence).

Much appreciated is the photo entitled Bringing in the New Year', kindly supplied by Pat Narborough, now Pat Pateman.