BERNARD GORRINGE has sent in these pictures from a Darlington Railwaymen’s Carnival in the Thirties, probably from between 1932 to 1935.

“I can remember the event since my father, Fred Gorringe, was in the carnival – he’s the one in the centre wearing glasses,” says Bernard. “It also shows the carnival king and queen and the court jester, who was my uncle Alf Marley. The rest of the clowns were members of the Darlington Male Voice Choir.

“I was only four or five at the time, so I can’t remember much about it but I would love to know more.”

The week-long, biannual railwaymen’s carnivals were held between 1924 and 1939, raising money for Darlington Memorial Hospital.

The carnivals culminated on Saturdays with a procession from St Paul’s Church, in North Road, to South Park, where at least 20,000 people were waiting.

In the park, there were concert parties, greasy poles and funfairs – in 1928, the helter-skelter collapsed and nine children plummeted from the staging, breaking various limbs. One poor boy was in hospital for six months.

There were all sorts of animal shows and circuses.

For instance, in 1931 the star attraction was a 50ft, embalmed fin whale that had been harpooned off Norway.

In 1928, a generator set fire to the tents of Paulo’s Circus and a monkey broke free, capering about the park.

But the events of 1935 topped that as, on July 6, three young lions escaped.

Two were captured fairly easily, but one called Rex went on a rampage, climbing on top of a greenhouse and crashing through the glass.

This gave the showmen their chance. They surrounded the greenhouse and managed to lasso Rex through the door.

Carnivals were not held during the Second World War, and then the advent of the National Health Service meant such “big society” events were no longer necessary to raise money to ensure free healthcare for all.

• Do you recognise any of the faces in Bernard’s pictures? Let us know.