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Tag: Bill Lynch Carnival Show

Vintage Canada: The Bill Lynch Travelling Carnival Show

The Bill Lynch Carnival Show-A Staple of Martime Culture (The East Coast of Canada).

Bill Lynch Carnival show vintage poster

While working on my post for Canada’s 150th Birthday, I stumbled upon a poster advertising a Canadian Carnival show in the 1940’s (Seen in my post HERE). I had never heard of the name ‘Bill Lynch’ before and was instantly intrigued and knew I just had to know more. And like the good blogger I am, I figured that if I did not know much about Bill and his Exposition Shows then maybe many of my readers hadn’t either. So lets explore the Carnival’s history together friends!

Meet William (Bill) Lynch

Bill Lynch Carnival Show Vintage Image
Source: The Halifacts

About the Show & Bill:

  • William Lynch (Born 1905) as a young boy growing up on McNab’s Island, Nova Scotia loved the annual summer fair on Findlay’s Picnic Grounds. In fact he loved it so much that when he became a teenager he took a job racking the balls and assisting with the old merry-go-round. All the while, he yearned to be a bigger part of this magical escape (Source).
  • 1917 – Halifax has a horrific explosion which ends the summer fun and fairs as the city rebuilt and forces Bill back to regular life working in a machine shop.
  • BUT the dream is not dead and Lynch returns to McNabs Island in the spring of 1920, buying the famous merry-go-round for $800. He managed it until 1924, but people didn’t come to the island like they used to. Lynch decided to go to the people and starts to travel around to small towns in Nova Scotia (Source).
  • 1928, he adds a second ride: a Ferris wheel.
  • In 1929, Bill wins the bid for the Halifax Exhibition and invests in 3 more rides and 3 shows to boost the size of his show to fit the exhibitions request. It was a hefty purchase that paid off and Lynch was asked back for the 1930 exhibition.
  • Changing the negative perception of Carnies & giving back to the community: Bill hired hundreds of Maritimers to run the games and partnered with service groups. Made donations to charitable groups in every town his roadshow visited and told the carnies that all disabled children should ride for free (Source).
  • By the 1940’s, The Bill Lynch Carnival is the Biggest in Canada  and becomes “the search for relief from monotony from everyday living.”
  • 1956 the show is now massive, towing 27 railway cars of rides, games and performers all around the Maritimes. Lynch hired acts such as The Turtle Woman, The Tattooed Man, The Worlds Fattest Couple, and conjoined twins Ronnie and Donnie (Source).
  • After 52 years in the business, Lynch dies in 1972. The carnival has changed hands a couple of times but is currently still in operation.
Bill Lynch Exhibition Shows Vintage Posters
Source: Hake’s
Bill Lynch Carnival show vintage poster
Source: Hake’s
Bill Lynch Shows Carnival Posters
Bill Lynch Carnival Pass Book vintage booklet
Source: Caperpics

1941 photo of a Monkey Race.

1941 Bill Lynch Carnival Show - 1940s vintage image of a Monkey Race.
Source: Nova Scotia Archives. E.A. Bollinger Nova Scotia Archives accession no. 1975-305 1941 no. 465-7a

The Famous Ferris Wheel-1941.

1941 Bill Lynch Carnival Show Canada. 1940s photo of the Famous Ferris Wheel. Nova Scotia Archives
Source: Nova Scotia Archives. E.A. Bollinger Nova Scotia Archives accession no. 1975-305 1941 no. 465-1b

1940s photo of the Merry-Go-Around.

Bill Lynch Carnival merry go around 1940s Canada
Source: Nova Scotia Archives. E.A. Bollinger Nova Scotia Archives accession no. 1975-305 1941 no. 465e

Sailors watching either a ride or a show in 1941.

Canadian sailors 1941 watching Bill Lynch Carnival show Nova Scotia Archives
Source: Nova Scotia Archives. E.A. Bollinger Nova Scotia Archives accession no. 1975-305 1941 no. 465-2d

Advertising for a show in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Bill Lynch Carnival 1940s Saint Johns appearance
Source: The Lost Valley

High Wire Bicycle Act.

Bicycle high wire act at a Bill Lynch Show.
Source: Dalhousie University

Further Reading on the Carnival:

I hope you enjoyed learning about Bill Lynch and his Carnival Show. It was really fun researching this topic and learning about a piece of Canadian history dear to many hearts in the East Coast.

Vintage Inn Blog Post To Read:

Liz

Vintage Canada Roundup. Happy 150th Canada!

Vintage Postcard: Greetings from Canada

This Saturday marks Canada’s 150th Birthday and I’m so excited to be celebrating this special day with friends and family. It’s going to be a fantastic celebration.

In honour of Canada’s birthday I wanted to do a roundup of awesome Canadian vintage posts, images and items focusing on the years between 1940 and 1969 (my blogs favorite timelines).

Let the roundup begin!

Vintage Canada poster from the 1930s
Source: Flickr

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

NOTE: If you click on any of the items featured below and they are not available, don’t fret! Hit the search button and see what else is on the websites. There are 1000’s and 1000’s of items being listed daily.

One of the main symbols of Canada is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP/The Mountie) and this rare 1950’s vintage needle sewing book with a Mountie on it, is a pretty outstanding find.

1950's Canada RCMP mounted police memorabilia needle book
Source: Etsy
Vintage Canada: 1950's Canada RCMP mounted police memorabilia needle bookinside
Source: Etsy

The Bill Lynch Show a carnival that was the largest in Canada during the 1940s.

Further Reading: A blog post I did all about the “Bill Lynch Travelling Carnival Show

1940s poster for Bill Lynch Canadian Carnival show

1954 Spring & Summer “Canadian Bride-The Bride Book”.

Summer is the perfect time to get married and if you really want to share the day, Canada Day is the day to do it on.

1954 Spring & Summer Canadian Bride - The Bride's Book. The cover features a bride in a 1950s wedding dress.
Source: Etsy

A good vintage tie is always something one should have in their closet and if it has a bit of Canadiana on it, even better. Here is a 1940’s Vintage tie featuring beautiful Jasper National Park Alberta.

Vintage 1940s Necktie Jasper National Park Alberta- 1940s Men's Fashion.
Source: Etsy

Saskatchewan Golden Jubilee scarf, 1950s.

Vintage Canada: Saskatchewan scarf 1950s
Source: Etsy

Vintage 1941 Montreal, Quebec Felt Banner (love this!).

vintage 1941 montreal felt banner
Source: Etsy

Interesting articles on Canada’s history (click on the links to be taken to the posts):

Molly Bobak’s War-For a time it had seemed that the only Canadian woman to be officially appointed as a war artist during World War II might not make it overseas at all. Article by Philip Jensen

1940s Vintage Photo: Lieutenant Molly Lamb painting, June1945 Canadian History
Source: National Archives of Canada / PA-113711

Spy School Secrets-The True Story Behind Camp X (where Ian Flemming, aka the creator of James Bond was one of the students). Text by Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids.

Camp x 1940s canadian spy camp
Image by Matt Dyck

The Mad Men of Expo 67 in Montreal Canada by Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoît Nadeau.

expo67vintageadvertising

The Women of Canada’s Heritage Minutes: 1900’s to the 1940’s by the Vintage Inn Blog (I went a few years earlier on this post).

Viola Desmond Heritage Minute

Clark’s Dairy milk delivery in Ottawa – Aug. 1959.

1950s Vintage Photo of Clark's Dairy milk delivery in Ottawa - Aug. 1959 featuring a woman in 1950s fashions and the milkman on his delivery.
Source: Flickr

Restaurant at Uplands Airport 1960 (Ottawa). Isn’t it so cool looking?

Restaurant at Ottawa, Canada Uplands Airport 1960. The vintage 1960s image features a diner with waitress and guests in 1960s fashions.
Source: Flickr

The original Mile “0” signpost in Dawson Creek, B.C., 1947.

1940s Vintage Photo: The original Mile 0 signpost in Dawson Creek, B.C. 1947

Two men and two women play a game of croquet at Braemar Lodge on Lake Ellenwood, Nova Scotia, 1950s.

Two men and two women play a game of croquet at Braemar Lodge on Lake Ellenwood, Nova Scotia / Deux hommes et deux femmes jouent une partie de croquet à l'auberge Braemar au lac Ellenwood (Nouvelle-Écosse)

Snowshoe Tournament, 1948.

1940s Vintage Photo of a Snowshoe Tournament in Ottawa, 1948.
Source: Flickr

1950’s Toronto featuring a TTC Bus and people walking on the street and waiting to get on. Cool photo!

1950s Toronto vintage image of a TTC bus with people

Sarnia, Ontario 1960. This is the city I was born and raised in till I moved to Toronto in my late 20’s.

Vintage Postcard Image of Sarnia Ontario, Canada main street in the 1960s. Postcard showcases classic cars

This post clearly did not touch on all of Canada (it’s so vast) but I hope you enjoyed what I did bring forward. And to all my Canadian Friends & Readers…HAPPY CANADA DAY!

FURTHER READING:

Liz