Salute the Soldier Week - Back your Man!

Paul Capser's Performances

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Front & Rear covers: Canvey Island 'Support The Soldier' Week programme - July 8th to 15th. Price 3d. Back your Man! - for all you're worth
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Pages 1 & 2: Page 1 mentions Dunkirk, Torbruk & El Alamein. Page 2 lists the opening ceremony on Saturday 8th July. There was a Parade starting at the Hotel Jellicoe, travelling along the High Street, Furtherwick Road and ending at the Council Offices in Long Road. Miss CC James opened the Fair Ground and there was a Whist Drive at the Womens Institute. In the evening a grand dance was held at the Casino.
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Pages 3 & 4: On Monday 'Prof' Paul Capser performed illusions, childrens sports were held at Leigh Beck School and in the evening the Sunshine Juveniles performed at the Red Cow (King Canute). On Tuesday (11th) there were more sports at Leigh Beck and Paul performed again. After a local talent competition at the Fair Ground there was an NFS Dance at the Haystack. On Wednesday (12th) Paul again performed his 'Palace of Illusions' followed by a Baby Show. In the evening 'The Fire Brands' was shown at the Rio Cinema. On Thursday (13th) Paul perormed and in the evening an Old Time Dance was held at the Casino Ballroom with a WVS 'Parade and Pageant of Women through the ages'.
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Pages 5 & 6: On Friday (14th) Paul performed 'All the Fun of the Fair' followed in the evening by the Sunshine Juveniles at the Casino Ballroom. On Saturday (15th) after Paul Capser there was the Grand Final of the Fancy Dress non stop Dance at the Casino Ballroom with the ATC Band. On Sunday (16th) at the Fair Ground was the Drumhead Service with the Band of the Royal Fusileers Regt. The final page gives the target of £15,000 for a Churchill Tank.

This Programme includes performances from Paul who, along with his daughter Winnie, were Canvey Island’s Punch & Judy entertainers. The Capser story can be found HERE

The leaflet was issued by the Canvey Island Local Savings Committee to raise money during World War 2 for a Churchill Tank.

You can click on the pictures below for a closer look (use your BACK button in your internet browser to return to this page).

Author
By David Bullock
Page added
13/02/2009

Comments about this page

  • Can anyone answer the following questions:

    What was the Year of this leaflet?
    Which Fair Ground was it held at?
    What is a ‘Whist Drive’?
    Who won the Talent Competition?
    Who won the Baby Competition?
    What was ‘The Fire Brands’?
    How much was raised?

    Please add any memories or information on this fabulous event below.

    By David Bullock (13/02/2009)

  • The year was 1944 Dave and Canvey received a plaque (like Warship week one) for our efforts

    By Janet Penn (13/02/2009)

  • Years ago local people would hold a Whist Drive in the local hall. It is a game of Whist (cards) but you have (I believe 4 people at a table and you move around the hall from table to table throughout the game. I cannot remember how the game is played but I remember having to go to these drives with a bunch of old ladies that were looking after me. We also used to have Beetle Drives. This time you had a piece of paper and pencil and a dice. Each number on the dice represented a part of the beetle. YHou had to throw a 6 to start this was the body, then followed legs feelers etc. The first person in the team to complete his beetle then moved onto the next table and the game restarted. Thoroughloky boring to a child of 5 ish

    By Joan Liddiard (24/07/2009)

  • The fair was always held at the Paddocks when I was a child, so I presume that is where this fair was held on this occasion

    By Joan Liddiard (24/07/2009)

  • Thanks a lot Joan

    By David Bullock (25/07/2009)

  • I won a baby show on the island about this time, the prize being apparently a coloured (by hand) photo. does anybdy else remember this ?

    By hazel Pope nee coe (18/07/2012)

  • Salute the Soldier week. In this archive material I see the mention of El Alamein, North Africa. My father, Alan Hudson, was in or around El Alamein with the 6th Armoured Division under Montgomery. He sent me (his son) a letter from there which I read to the class at Kingsley hall school.I remember tripping up on the word “mechanized” but got through the rest o.k. Gerald Hudson

    By Gerald Hudson (18/07/2012)

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