About Us

For Over 100 Years

Wellington Carnival Committee is a voluntary group which organises the September Carnival Procession and other community events in the town to raise funds for local groups and organisations.

The History Of Our Committee

In The Beginning…

According to the Wellington Weekly of 1887, “This year has witnessed the revival of the Guy Fawkes celebrations – in fact, it is 27 years since anything like the celebrations of Friday last, was witnessed in Wellington”. It goes on to outline the events of Friday 4th November 1887, “Friday being an early closing evening with shopkeepers and Saturday a late one. In accordance with instructions issued by the committee, those who intended to take part in the carnival assembled near Shute Leigh to form the procession”. This was recorded as the chief feature of the evening. There were Masqueraders and torch bearers, led by the town band, as the procession passed crowds of sightseers along the route.

The procession ended with a lighted tar barrel as was the custom at several Carnivals of the day. Other barrels were burned followed by a discharge of fireworks and cannon, fires were also lit opposite the Eight Bells (now Chetwood Wealth Management) and at other areas in town but in each case the ‘bonfire boys’ ensured no damage was caused to property. The events carried on into the late hours despite the rain.

In 1888 the procession started from Rockwell Green (after assembling in Oaken Field) at 7pm, The band of the ‘Queens Own’ lead the way. The procession was commanded by “the Duke of Wellington’s ghost”.

On the evening of Tuesday 7th November 1889, the celebration of the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot was carried out in Wellington – “on the most extensive scale yet witnessed in the Town”.

Chairman of the committee was Mr J Gill and the Hon Secretary was Mr T Twose. The procession principle feature of the evening was the “capital torchlight procession” consisting of 100 torch bearers. Coloured fires were burnt along the route which highlighted the costumes of the Masqueraders. “The streets were crowded and squibbing was general”. Horses and carriages were also used.

No records have yet been found for 1890- 1921, but research continues.

The Carnival Returns!

Although a carnival had not been held in the town for a long time, a carnival was planned for December 15th, 1922 in aid of funds for the cottage hospital.

It began with a shop window competition, and almost every shop in the town before the carnival were decorated to a very high standard, which made judging very difficult.

The first prize went to Mr Ayliffes shop window (now the Co-Op in Fore Street); one of his windows was occupied by eight lady members of his staff dressed in Japanese dresses amidst flowering shrubs and sat down in Japanese fashion to a Japanese tea.

The carnival itself began from Wellesley Park at 7pm. The procession consisted of 250 torch bearers, 16 tableaux’s , 14 comic, many decorated motors and trade turn outs, large parties on foot, 50 pedestrians in fancy dress, decorated cycles, The Wellington Town Band were in a large char-a-banc, and a number of jazz bands on foot. Altogether, the procession was about 3/4 of a mile long.

The carnival procession passed down South Street, Fore Street, and Mantle Street; on reaching Gas Street, it turned back up Mantle Street and continued through High Street out of Wellington to Poole Crossing where it again turned back to the town centre. From there it passed down North Street, Waterloo Road and Station Road as far as Swallowfield House (now Aerosols), turned into Springfield and into the Rugby field where a huge bonfire was situated and lit followed by a firework display. The cost of the fireworks was met by Messer’s C and E Walker (milk factory owners). The gate takings were £76 2.8d tickets sold previously amounted to £43.2.3d.

In the evening a fancy-dress ball was held in the town hall, and again the standard was high. The ladies first prize was won by Miss P Culverwell, dressed as a Persian lady, then Miss J. Marke in a black and red pirouette costume, followed by Miss Kitch as a Christmas cracker. Mr Ellis won the men’s first prize as the King of Spades, followed by Mr S Hoyles as Alchemist.

A 20 year gap…

After a twenty-year gap the Carnival was restarted in 1950, and ran for a further two years. Though later stopped again.

From 1960 to 1970 it is believed the Town band took change of organising and running the Carnival, but in the spring of 1971 admitted it was too great an undertaking for them to continue.

At this time another name came into save the day. John Nash got some fellow supporters together including Gary Cox (who took charge of events and helped advise), and later Josephine Chave.

These weeks of celebrations continued until 1971. Difficulties were encountered in finding organisers for the various events and the Committee decided to move the procession from the summer to the autumn, partly because “people are generally less self-conscious in the dark”. The 1972 procession was scheduled for 21st October.

One plus One 1989 – photo courtesy of Stuart Mapstone

In 1987 the carnival route was changed to omit North Street and Longforth Road.

From 1967 to 2002 the Procession was preceded by the famous Cider Barrel Race. Pairs of men and women struggled to propel a firkin, a nine gallon traditional wooden barrel, along the first mile of the procession route. Supported first by Taunton Cider and then Sheppy’s Cider, the event attracted major press coverage over the ‘antics’ of the barrels and those brave enough to take them on. Many made the challenge more difficult by dressing up in costumes not designed for such efforts.

Today’s Carnival

In 2012, Dave Rylatt, a local businessman who had 3 daughters in Wellington Majorettes stepped in to help Mrs Chave. Dave had been assisting the Majorettes for a few years with the carnivals and when it was announced in the Wellington Weekly News that the committee were struggling again, he volunteered to help.

During Daves leadership he encouraged entries to join Wellington Carnival from the twin town of Torres Vedras in Portugal. Wellington Majorettes now make an annual appearance at the Portuguese Carnival every February and the winning entry from Torres Vedras returns to take part in our carnival.

In 2019, Sharon Collins, a carnivalite, from Ottery St Mary, once again stepped in to save Wellington Carnival and took the reins from Dave.

Due to Covid restrictions there was no Carnival in 2020 & 2021. However, the Town Council held a Welcome Back Street Fair, to mark CARNIVAL DAY!

Wellington Carnival procession returned on Saturday 24th September 2022, under a new committee and chairman, Paul Goodyer. The procession itself was slightly smaller due to carnival clubs not being able to fundraise and build such large floats and carts.

2023, saw a huge increase in entries and was a great success. The committee held fundraising bingos & stalls at local events to raise funds and were very proud to be able to donate over £1000 to local clubs, groups, organisations and schools who helped make carnival happen.