Old Photos of The Hoppings

The Hoppings is a popular fair in the North East of England, held in the last full week of June every year on Newcastle's Town Moor, spanning around 40 acres of land.

The Hoppings started out as a Temperance Festival in 1882, when Newcastle Temperance organisations decided to revive the annual gatherings that they had previously held, but included different festivities to coincide, to counter-attract the 'Summer Race Meeting' at Gosforth Park, which was seen as a source of drunkenness.

It proved to be a great success and the fair is still being enjoyed to this very day.


All of the following photographs are owned by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and reproduced here under a Creative Commons License.

Lee Bennett guessing a woman's age at his 'I Guess Your Age' attraction at the Hoppings. 1940's.

People enjoying themselves at 'Culine's Rodeo', watching their family and friends take part in the ride at the Hoppings. 1940's.

Onlookers at one of the attractions held at the Hoppings on the Town Moor. 1940's.

Olga Rich at her 'Mickey Mouse' juvenile ride at the Hoppings. 1940's.

Lee Bennett guessing people's ages at his 'I Guess Your Age' attraction at the Hoppings. 1952.

Newcastle Town Moor 1952, people queuing for the rides at the Hoppings.

Believed to be Elisa Stewart performing at the Hoppings, Newcastle. 1940's.

Attractions at the Hoppings fair in Newcastle. 1952.

Performers of all descriptions came to the Hoppings to entertain the people of Newcastle. 1940's.

'Wonders of the East' performers entertain the public at the Hoppings. 1940's.

The Haunted Castle' attraction at the Hoppings festival in Newcastle.

1938 'Pinder's Big Zoo Circus Show' at the Hoppings.

1938 'Pinder's Big Zoo Circus Show' at the Hoppings.

Gilbert Chadwick at Newcastle's Town Moor Fair (Hoppings) in 1945.

View of the 'Moon Rocket' attraction at the Hoppings in Newcastle, June 1945.

Barbara Chadwick posing for the camera at the Hoppings at Town Moor. 1940s.

Olga Rich at her 'Mickey Mouse' juvenile ride at the Hoppings. 1940's.

Henry Wharton at the Hoppings in Newcastle. 1940's.

People observing the attraction 'Rotor, People like Flies on the Wall'. 1940's.

People enjoying themselves on the swing ride held at the Hoppings fair in Newcastle. 1940's.

Two woman selling brooches at the Hoppings for 6d. (2 ½p in today's money). 1940's.

Jack Powell standing by his van at the Hoppings. 1940's.

Ghostbuster ride at the Hoppings, 1986. Photograph by Jimmy Forsyth.

Madame Smith Caravan at the Hoppings, 1986. Photograph by Jimmy Forsyth.

Children's Waltzer ride at the Hoppings, 1990. Photograph by Jimmy Forsyth.

View of the Hoppings, 1990. Photograph by Jimmy Forsyth.

See my more recent photos of The Hoppings:
Town Moor - The Hoppings - 2005/10
Town Moor - The Hoppings - 2011
Town Moor - The Hoppings - 2012