Illustration Christine Fuller
The following article was published in the Diss Express on Friday 4th August, 1972:
After a wet morning on Saturday, the Playing Fields Committee at Great Ellingham were pleased to see their work blessed by a sunny afternoon for the fete.
The fete was opened by Mr H. J. Underwood, chairman of the Attleborough Recreation Ground Committee and chairman of the Friends of Wayland Hospital.
Mr Underwood congratulated the Great Ellingham Playing Fields Committee, and said he was pleased that they had resisted the blandishments of land speculators and had “preserved the ground from becoming part of the concrete jungle in spire of the great temptation”.
Mr Underwood was presented with a bottle of whisky by Mr David Baines, the committee’s chairman. This was returned by Mr Underwood to be auctioned later, when it raised £3.60.
The fancy dress competition winners were as follows: 1. Elaine Eagling of The Chalet, Queens Road, Attleborough 2. Neil Syrett of Town Green Lane, Great Ellingham 3. Kathleen Hale of Chequers Lane, Great Ellingham.
The Hingham and District Dog Training School, under the direction of Miss Pat Gordon, gave a demonstration of obedience with a team of eight dogs, which delighted the 500-strong audience with displays of heeling, retrieving and hurdle jumping.
The draw winners were: 1. “Fluff’, Long Street, Great Ellingham (£7), 2. Mr J. Leeder, Buckenham Road, Attleborough (£5), 3. Mr D Holmes, 1 Mill Farm Cottages, Shropham (£3).
The bowls winner was Mr A Halls of Rocklands, with Mr Etteridge, of Great Ellingham runner up. The football presented by Leeds United and autographed by their cup-winning team, was won by Mrs Skinner of 135 Newmarket Road, Norwich.
Sideshows at the fete included bowling for the pig, bowls, smashing crockery, kicking the football, bran tub, Chinese laundry, darts and a coconut shy. There were also pony and donkey rides, which were enjoyed by the children.
Mrs M Beales, the committee’s secretary, who was still clearing up on Monday morning, estimated that the event had made a profit of about £160.
Source:
4 August 1972 Diss Express. Viewed via The British Newspaper Archive website