Carnival Association.
ASSOCIATION HISTORY Part 1
1987 - 2004
The Cheriton & Morehall Carnival Association that became so well-known on the south east carnival circuit was started in 1987 by Mick and Elsie Ryan, with the help of Colin Jones, Gary Simpson, and Pat and Shaun Hillman.
The Committee faced a certain amount of opposition in the early years - so much so, that the first funday and fete was sabotaged when someone deliberately turned stallholders away from the Cheriton Rec by telling them the event had been cancelled! Fortunately Shepway District Council decided to return the deposit to the Carnival Association to make up for the fact that they had been unable to raise any money with the funday. Also, the Association's towing vehicle and float were to suffer from periodic attacks of vandalism over the next 10 years until the Committee found a garage to store them in to keep them safe.
Despite all this, the Committee was determined to return to Cheriton their carnival, which had been absent from the social calendar since 1973 - the original Cheriton Carnival had been a Victory Parade led by the Cheriton Victory Queen in the 1940s; a parade for the Miss Cheriton Bathing Beauty (an entrant into the Miss Kent contest) during the 1950s and early 1960s; and the Cheriton Traders Funday presided over by Miss Cheriton in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Mick purchased an old caravan to turn into a float, and after a private selection, the Committee found 6 girls who were not only willing to raise money for their dresses and tiaras, but were happy to turn their hands to designing and decorating their float.There was many an evening when they could be found in Mick and Elsie's front garden painting and decorating the float, or many a day when they could be seen trawling the shops for items to use as props. The theme they chose for 1987/8 was 'In an English Country Garden' - a summerhouse and garden, complete with butterflies, birds, flowers, trees and spiders' webs!
That first year, the court won 10 prizes, at the time a record for a Court's debutante year on the carnival circuit (with Tracey winning the coveted Allington Snow Princess title and Karol winning the Miss 94 Regiment crown).
They were also the first Kent Court ever to take part in the Lord Mayor's Show in London; but more than that, Kathryn, Karol, Tracey, Luan, Coral and Jo set a trend for committment to their association that other Cheriton courts were to follow.
They were present at the Julia Rose memorial fun run, handing out medals to the runners; and took part in sponsored walks organised by the Carnival Guild to help raise money for their association. The court helped to buy their own dresses and tiaras; and Karol raised money for the Association when she participated in the People Parade sponsored walk from Folkestone to Hythe and back again. They even attended winter events in Essex, where Karol was a runner-up in the Torchlight Queen of Queens contest.
And off the carnival circuit they made visits to hospitals, such as the St George's hospital in Havering , and local schools such as the Downsmead School in Folkestone.
In 1988/9 the Court was once again invited to take part in the Lord Mayor's Show in London (tell me Caroline from Romford, do you still remember the horse?!); and took part in the Deal Motor Show. The Court once again designed their float, which was this year 'The London to Brighton Car Rally'. It was a reconstruction of a veteran motor car (built by Gary Simpson and Kevin Hopper) complete with L-plates and horn, and was painted by the girls.
They also designed the Christmas float - 'Santa's Grotto on Christmas Eve' - built by Mark Ryan and painted by Karol, it featured a fireplace with Santa's snowy boots hanging in the chimney. It won them the cup at Allington, as well as a second place for Karol in the Snow Queen contest (to go with her Queen of Queens sash won at Herne Bay).
Off the carnival circuit the Court once again visited hospitals and schools, such as St Georges Hospital and the Downsmead school, where they officially opened their Christmas Fair.
1988 was also the year we discovered that Elsie was ill with cancer - but we weren't to know how serious it was until it was too late, as she insisted on carrying on despite the pain. To help riase money for Cancer Research, the Association held a massive fund-raising raffle.
There was a surprise in store for one family, who were having housing problems, when Cllr Peter Gane donated his prize of a week's stay in the Burstin Hotel to them as a gift.
'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' was the theme for 1989/90, and to go with the theme of the float the girls decided to dress as flower fairies, to paint each spoke on the surrounding fence a different colour, and to handstitch over 200 flowers to the white fur carpet on the float - now there's dedication!
We once again took part in the Lord Mayor's Show and the Deal Motor Show, as well as more carnivals and winter events than ever over the water in Essex, where Karol made it a double when she was once again a runner-up in the Havering Queen of Queens contest. It was in Essex that Karol won the Essex Carnival Personality title - she claims it must have been the singing she was doing on the float!
They also visited the St Georges hospital in Essex again. Sadly, just before Christmas in 1989, Elsie was to finally succumb to her illness and died of cancer, two days after Allington Carnival, in the William Harvey hospital. On a happier note, 1987 Queen and 1989 carnival princess, Kathryn was married to Graeme Willmore just days before the Cheriton Carnival.
1990/1 saw our first attempt to win the World Pillow Sparring Championships (see Game for a Laugh) and Kate decided to do a parachute jump for charity.
1990 was the first year of our Tableau trophy - named the Elsie Ryan Memorial Trophy, it was judged by her husband Mick, and ever after it was only to be judged by members of her family, or friends who knew her. It was also the first year we held a special end-of-year contest for all the carnival courts.
And this was the first year we elected a Junior Court, two members of which, Abigail and Heidi, were to go on to become senior court members; they rode with the Senior Court on the float, with the theme of 'English Roses'. To top off our year Luan and Karol were both runners-up in the Kent and Sussex Queen and Princess contests respectively, and Annette claimed the runner-up place in the Essex Junior Personality contest.
Our 1991/2 court selection very nearly had to be cancelled when the alternations to the Firs Squash and Sports Club disco were not finished on time.
The Court, led by Senior Queen, Suzy Kennett, and Junior Queen, Natalie Perez, were duly elected at a selection contest held in the Squash Club's bar area. The entire court were invited to take part in the launch of the club's newly refurbished and renamed disco, The Whoopee Club, a few weeks later.
Another attempt at the World Pillow-Sparring championships during the season, resulted in our team reaching the quarter-finals again; and our three Junior Court members took all three places in the Essex Junior Personality contest in Chadwell.
This was also our first (and last) attempt at a carnival week, which included a Rosebud selection (with the court joining the others on the float - 'England's Green and Pleasant Land' - for our carnival parade); a Glamorous Granny contest, and a Mini, Junior and Senior Mr Cheriton contest.
Those of us who were there at the Senior Mr Cheriton contest will never forget it (we had never laughed so hard in our lives before) - the six lads who lined up for the honour proved they were more than game for a laugh. As a group they came to us on the night of the contest and asked if there was to be a bathing suit round; we replied, 'Well, if you want ...' thinking that it was too late for them to go home for their costumes. This didn't stop them, as they all happily stripped down to their boxer shorts and paraded through the night club to the strains of The Stripper. Congratulations Adrian, you deserved to win, and it was a shame we couldn't give the title to each and every one of you who took part!
This was the first year we awarded the Spirit of the Carnival trophy - it went to the Jeffrey, Perez, Humphries, Rivett-Carnac and Fisher famlies, who entered every event during carnival week. They had also given us two of our princesses, our Junior Queen, our Rosebud Queen and our two little Mr Cheritons for that year. Not bad! And it was also the first year of the Cheriton and Morehall Belle of the Ball trophy, won by Deputy Miss Teynham, Paula Tilbury.
Now things get a little sketchy for me, as by the end of 1991 I had married Andy (the journalist who had come to interview me about Cheriton Carnival!) and had moved to Devon.
At our 1992/3 selection dance, Mick was awarded the National Carnival Guild medallion for services to carnival and charity - an honour very few receive. This year also saw the first appearance of Mary Henry in our Court - she was to become one of our mainstays over the years - twice a Junior Princess, three times a Senior Princess and finally Miss Cheriton in 1999.This year also saw the first appearance of another star of our future carnival courts, albeit as a winner in the Bonny Baby contest - well done Megan McCormack, we'll see you in 10 years!
1992 was also the year that future Junior Queen, Danielle Willmore, was born to a past Senior Queen, Kathryn. In the titles stakes, Deputy Queen Suzy Kennet won the regional Butlins' Holiday Princess sash, while Heidi took a runners-up spot in the Kent and Sussex Princess contest in Dover.
1993/4 saw Suzy Kennett return for her third year in the Carnival Court, when she was once again crowned Senior Miss Cheriton - a feat which was never equalled by any girl in the history of Cheriton Carnival!
Mary Henry was crowned Junior Princess again; Megan once again won the Bonny Baby contest (cute, ain't she?); and two of our committee members, Graham Trow and Tam Lindsey were awarded the National Carnival Guild medallion; and Rebecca was a runner-up in the Kent and Sussex Princess competition. And it was the first year of our 'Japanese Summerhouse' float.
And another future star of the Cheriton Junior Court, Ben Steele, was born to former Senior Queen, Karol.
In 1994/5 our 1992 Junior Queen Rebecca was crowned Senior Queen - only the second girl to hold both the Junior and Senior Cheriton Carnival Queen titles.
However, Rebecca was busy taking part in many national dance competitions, so for half the year Princess Nicola had to fly the flag for Cheriton as Queen, riding on the repainted 'Japanese Summerhouse' float - and what a good job she did for us, winning Queen of Queens at Canterbury, and was a runner-up in the Allington Snow Queen and Kent and Sussex Queen contests. Ben made his first carnival appearance when he was a runner-up in the Cheriton Bonny Baby contest!
During the year the court were asked to take part in many special and fundraising events. The first was the relaunch of Shepway's first independent radio station, Shepway Sound. They helped to host a huge party in the lanternes in Folkestone for the radio station.
A few months later they were asked to help host the Folkestone McDonald's McHappy Day to raise money for children's hospitals. The court helped to take orders and collect donations behind the tills, and helped the Mayor of Folkestone to cut the special commemorative cake. 1994 was also the first year that the Association made a special Christmas collection in Cheriton to raise money to buy hampers for the Royal Victoria Hospital as a thank you for all they had done to help Elsie during her illness.
There was one sour note to the year - just days before the Dover Christmas Carnival, the float was vandalised, when thugs spray-painted obscene graffitti all over it.
The float was hurriedly repainted and decorated with many Christmas decorations, just in time for the parade. The hard work was amply rewarded when the Court were award the Dover Christmas Tableau trophy.
Nicola was back in the court again - this time as Queen in her own right in 1995/6 and was the first Cheriton Queen to take part in the La Chapelle d'Armentieres carnival in France, riding with her court on our 'Butterfly Garden' float.
1998 saw the first appearance of one of the stalwarts of our Junior Court, Carrie Bailey, who was to return to the court another three times as Princess, Queen and Deputy Junior Queen.
It was also the first year of the Folkestone Automobile Club's Christmas Cavalcade of Cars and we were honoured to be the only court invited to take part. Ben once again took part in the Cheriton Carnival Bonny Baby contest, coming third in his category, then made it a double by coming third in the Dover Carnival Bonny Baby contest two weeks later.
In the title stakes, Princess Zoe did Cheriton proud when she was a runner-up in the Butlins Holiday Princess contest. 1995 was the first year our court dresses were sponsored by Beau Monde Bridal Wear, and as a thank you to owner Jeanette Seldon, the court took part in a fashion show for the shop.
The court made TWO visits to the Royal Victoria Hospital - to deliver hampers at both Easter and Christmas time.
There was one sour note to the year when vandals targeted the association again, when they slashed the towing vehicle's tyres and daubed graffitti on the float once again.
Cheriton Carnival Association was not the only charity organisation targetted by these heartless criminals, as the Cheriton St John's ambulance was attacked with windows smashed and petrol syphoned off, and the St John's Badger's minibus was also spray-painted with graffitti.
The Committee faced a financial dilemma in 1996/7 when the crowns fell to pieces. After a plea in the local papers, Eurotunnel, Orchard Glen, Gary Simpson and Karol Steele all stepped forward to buy new regalia.
The float was 'The Artist's Palette', which we took to La Chapelle - winning the Court the Birchington/La Chapelle Best Supporting Court trophy for the first time; Cheriton would go on to win the trophy an amazing six times in a row. There was just one sour note to spoil the celebrations - vandals targetted the Association float and towing vehicle again, not once but TWICE.
In the first attack they stole the float's spotlights and fairy lights, worth £75; in the second attack they smashed the tail lights and on the float and towing vehicle just hours before the court were due to travel to La Chapelle. A disaster struck our Queen Stephanie at our carnival parade when she slipped and broke her leg; but being a real trouper she vowed to continue her duties despite the injury!
1996 was also the year that Karol wrote a newspaper feature in defence of the culture of the carnival queen after her role in local life was questioned in a Kent paper. The article was to be franchised across Kent.
We once again took part in the Cavalcade of Cars, and brave Stephanie ended what was at the time a record-breaking year by winning the Miss Kent and Sussex title, with Zoe and Mary finalists in the Princess section.
These weren't the only successes for Stephanie, however. Off the carnival circuit she was proving a big hit with the Dour Dramatics Group, starring in two plays - 'A Murder is Announced' and 'Play On'.
Once again a special collection was held for the local hospital, with hampers being delivered just days before Christmas; and the court were also pleased to take part in a charity football match in Margate where they met the stars of the EastEnders football team.
1997/8 started with Stephanie taking the runners-up spot in the National Carnival Queen contest, and Karol being awarded the National Carnival Guild medallion for service.
It ended with Zoe taking the runners-up place in the National Carnival Princess contest, and Zoe and Rose-Marie becoming a Kent Carnival Princesses. Rose-Marie would eventually take over as Kent Queen when the holder resigned a few months later.
Deputy Queen Stephanie's year as Miss Kent and Sussex was left in ruins when the organiser of the contest took away her sash because she had had an operation on her foot! He claimed that he was worried that she would not be able to fulfill her duties, even though she continued to perform them adequately for the Cheriton Carnival Association - including winning the Spirit of the Carnival award at Folkestone.
When questioned by the press about his callousness, the Miss Kent and Sussex chairman went on to say that Stephanie would not get her title back because she had argued with the Kent and Sussex Deputy Queen at Folkestone carnival in front of the town's Mayor - despite both Stephanie AND the Mayor denying this ever happened! Stephanie bounced back from all this to play Princess Thiang in the South Kent Young Generation production of the King and I.
Another sad note to the year was when our Junior Princess Natasha was forced to step down when her heart condition got the better of her, and the excitement of winning three trophies at Birchington resulted in an angina attack.
Once again we travelled to France with our 'Flying Through Space' float (with matching star-spangled dresses) for La Chapelle's carnival, delivered hampers to the Royal Victoria Hospital, and took part in the Cavalcade of Cars.
1997 was the first year that Mick was asked to perform a special service for the Broadstairs carnival association - he played Santa at a special Christmas party ... in the summer! Mick as Santa, rode on the Broadstairs carnival float through the town, hosted a dance in the town to mark the start of his summer holidays by the sea!
1998/9 began very badly when the Association towing vehicle was stolen from outside Mick's flat in the early hours of the morning after our selection - fortunately all the Court regalia had been removed the night before. The thieves were to lead the police a merry chase, as the visually very recognisable vehicle was spotted several times over the coming days by people who knew Mick and phoned him to ask what he was doing in such-and-such a place so early in the morning!
Despite all these sightings, the vehicle was never recovered, and the Association had to borrow a vehicle from the Broadstairs Carnival Association to tow our float 'Gingerbread House', which was built by Maurice Jeffery as a favour to Mick. Despite this, the year began well for the Court, as the selection was broadcast on Neptune Radio and Ben was selected as the winner of the Dover Smiles in Mothercare contest, going on to be a runner-up in the national finals.
The good start to the year continued when Rose-Marie won The London Queen of Queens title and ended just as well when Viv won the Miss Essex New Year Belle title and a Kent Carnival Princess sash.
Off the carnival circuit there was some national recognition for one of the Court, when Viv starred in a show at the London Palladium and took part in the BBC-televised Lord Mayor's Show with her dance troupe from Studio Six.
The court were also asked to help at a special fund-raising event for the Kent Air Ambulance, held at the Folkestone Invicta football ground. It involved a special charity football tournament. a hot air balloon display and a barbeque.
Ben won his first Carnival trophy when he was awarded the Mayor's cup at Deal's Christmas Carnival. He then went on to accompany the court to the Royal Victoria Hospital (wearing his prize-winning outfit) to help deliver Christmas hampers, just a few days later.
Cheriton took part in the Wingham Carnival parade for the first time (winning Best Visiting Court); but saw their own parade in June washed out due to torrential rain. The carnival dance was held and the parade itself rescheduled for August; and of course, we made our annual appearance at the La Chapelle carnival and the Cavalcade of Cars
Mick was once again asked to play Santa for Broadstairs carnival association. Sadly this was to be the last time that Mick was asked to play the role, to Mick's great sorrow, due to disagreements over the Kent Carnival Court competition and the Miss EuroRegion contest - an argument which was to have disasterous consequences three years later.
And Karol was asked to write another two articles for the local newspapers - this time she chose to write about the British Red Cross and the First Aid Course she had just completed with them. The other article was A Year in the Life of a Carnival Queen, once again answering the question, from two years previously, as to whether the local carnival queen had finally had her day.
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For the girls it proved a good year when Viv took part in the Miss EuroRegion contest as Miss EuroKent, and Mary and Leanne won the Senior and Junior Miss Essex New Year Belle titles (with Carrie and Kayleigh taking the runners-up spots in the Junior section). There was another trip to La Chapelle for the Court, as well as an appearance in the Cavalcade of Cars, while the court also took part in the Chatham Navy Days for the first time.
Near the end of the year a special reunion was held in Margate for past and present carnival Queens from the Kentish circuit, with Karol taking the prize for the most carnival sashes held.
There was another prize for Karol in the year too, but this time off the carnival circuit, when she helped the Dover Express to win the Festival of Dover window contest. Her photo display entitled 'Streets and Squares of Dover Past and Present' won her, and Express receptionist Tracey Fairman, first prize and a trip to London to see a West End Show.
Karol was also asked to help the Dover Town Centre management at their Easter celebrations in the town - dressed as a rabbit! Karol wasn't the only one entertaining the masses over the southeast - 1997 Queen Rose_Marie was asked to be a soloist at the Dover Prom concert; Vivien took part in the Folkestone Trawler Race; and Zoe and Vivien were asked to help at at the grand re-opening of the Three Tuns in Canterbury.
Ben was once again a hit at the Deal Christmas carnival when he won a award for Best Collector, dressed at as The Clockwork Tin Soldier, helping to raise £93. Not bad for a little lad of six! The court ended their busy Christmas season when they once again took their annual trip to the hosptial to deliver hampers of goodies for the staff and patients.
The year ended well when Deputy Queen Mary competed in the Miss EuroRegion contest as Miss EuroEssex and also won a Kent Carnival Princess sash, and Princess Carly took the National Carnival Princess title.
Two weeks in December proved a busy time for the Court when Queen Stacey was runner-up in the Essex Senior Personality Girl contest just days before the Court were the first winners of the Deal Christmas Tableau trophy.
They finished their fortnight with the annual trip to the Royal Victoria Hospital, followed by the first ever Cheriton Traders' Christmas Lights event, where the court joined in to help raise money for the town.
There was a huge moment of pride for the Cheriton Carnival Committee when Ben was giving the honour of making the Queen Mother's birthday card to be presented to her during her visit to Dover for her 100th birthday.
More successes off the carnival circuit belonged to Karol, Carly and Vivien. Karol was pleased when three of her photos were chosen to feature in The History Channel's Photos the Future exhibitions across the country. Meanwhile, Carly and Viv starred in a West End show with their dance troupe Studio Six, and Viv landed her first professional dancing job. And Karol was once again asked to help the Dover Town Centre Management at their Easter Saturday event to help raise money for the Christmas lights. This time she was a little more sensibly (and recognisably dressed) as a 'damsel in distress'.
2001/2 began well when Mary and Stacey both won places in the Miss EuroRegion contest in Clacton winning the titles Miss Garden Coast and Miss Great British Holiday Parks respectively and ended with Stacey winning a Kent Carnival Princess sash. Also at the beginning of the year Ben won the nationwide 'Hopes for the Future' essay contest, with the prize being a trip to London Zoo for his whole class!
However, the celebrations were spoilt when Cheriton Carnival (along with Deal and Folkestone) was the subject of a boycott by certain member associations within the AKCO. Their argument was with Cheriton Carnival Association's support of the Miss EuroRegion contest - a contest the members had supported two years earlier when it had been run by one of their own. The effect on Mick was devastating, reducing him to tears and putting strain on his heart - the consequences of which were to be felt five months later.
The Court weathered the storm however, and travelled far and wide on their 'Grecian Garden' float (despte being 'banned' from several parades), winning many trophies and the hearts of those who had been hardened against them when they had boycotted Cheriton carnival. The court also made their final trip to La Chapelle's carnival, winning the Best Supporting Court trophy for the last time, but they still continued to take pride of place in the Cavalcade of Cars.
Off the carnival circuit, there was also some national recognition for the Association, when a picture of the 2000 Court winning a prize at the Deal Christmas Carnival, taken by Karol Steele, was selected as one of the semi-finalist of the Channel 4 Year 1 Photo contest, and was displayed on their website. One of Karol's other photos, The Fed-Up Fairy, won the regional heat and went onto the national final, coming seventh. It was displayed in three top national photo galleries, as well as being featured on the Year 1 television programme.
Karol was also asked to mount a photographic display in the Dover Museum to celebrate the Buckland and Charlton areas of the Dover district. Based on her prize-winning Street ans Squares of Dover display it featured photos showing the changes made to the town over the years.
2001 was of course the year of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America. The Cheriton Belle of the Ball Dance was held only days after the attacks, and as a mark of repect Mick asked for a 2 minute silence before the start of the competitions. The Cheriton Court also attended many charity events to raise money for the victims of the attack, including a celebrity football match at the Folkestone Invicta ground.
So well-liked and popular was Mick in the town, that the Kentish Express featured a front page story about him the week of his death; and his funeral was attended by the many friends and colleagues he had made - not just on the carnival circuit, but during his years as a town cricketer, footballer, bricklayer and in the RAF. Many Mick Ryan memorial cups have since been awarded by both the Kent Court and the Folkestone Carnival Association.
2002/3 proved to be a real struggle for the new carnival team, with Mick's place as Chairman being taken by his daughter Karol, herself a former Miss Cheriton. Whereas Mick put much of the money he earned as a jobbing bricklayer in the Association, Karol was unable to do this (having to cope with a young family and a mortgage) and spent the first six months of the year begging for sponsorship from local businesses.
She managed to scrape together enough money to run for a year, (and re-using the Willow Pattern' float), but disaster struck when the carnival parade in June was cancelled due to lack of entries, and the rescheduled parade in September was called off when the Waterworks (surprisingly and quite bafflingly) refused to allow the parade to start on their grounds (as it had done since 1987) because of the parade falling on the first anniversary of 9/11. Fears of terrorist attacks on the parade was the reason given for this extra-ordinary decision, even though no actual threats had been made against either the Waterworks or the Carnival Association. Forced to go without a fund-raising parade, the Association still held the dance and the various contests for the visiting courts.
On a happier note, Junior Princess Jenna-Marie was crowned Charlton's Jubilee Queen, Megan picked up the runner-up award in the Essex Junior Personality Girl contest, committee members Kathryn and Graeme Willmore were awarded the National Carnival Guild Service Medallions, while the Junior Court of Danielle, Megan and Rhiannon took the runners-up spot in the Kent Court of Courts contest. But even with all these successes the prospect of closure was never far away.
The Court travelled to carnivals at Tonbridge, Lydd and Collier Row for the first time, while Ben joined the court as unofficial mascot and fancy dress contestant, bagging himself and his association 4 fancy dress prizes, including the Mayor's cup at Deal's Christmas parade for the third time. Off the carnival circuit Karol and Ben had starring roles in the Dover Pageant, playing no less than six major roles between them. Ben was a Bronze Age Boatman and a Cavalier, Karol was Queen Catherine Branzanga (wife to Charles II) a Georgian Courtier and Lady-in Waiting to Edward VII and Elizabeth II).
Other successes off the carnival circuit included Danielle winning a national poetry contest, with her poem 'The Haunted House' being published in a book 'Hidden Treasures'. And both Ben and Danielle started the first of their Children's University courses on Saturday mornings, which were to lead to them gaining their degrees two years later.
Of course, during all their travels they took their usual place at the Cavalcade of Cars, which took place on the same day as Aylesham Christmas carnival. Rushing away from the cavalcade, they swept the prizes board in the Junior contests bringing home three prizes.
2003/4 turned out to be Cheriton's final year on the carnival circuit, as financial problems continued to dog the Association - but what a swansong it turned out to be! They attended more and different events than any other carnival court (88 in total), sometimes being the only visiting court present and in a lot of cases representing their county as well as their town as they were the only court from Kent present at the event.
They attended such events for the first time as the Shepway Festival (where they were interviewed on Radio Kent), Staple Country Fayre (where they won the It's a Knockout trophy), the Bunbury's Cricket fundraiser, the Wishing Fish Lantern parade, the Lydden Fete, Romney Christmas Carnival, Modelsearch (with Ben gaining a place in the top six), and The Marsh Buddy Challenge with Paul O'Grady. Paul was so impressed with the court that he sends Christmas cards to the Association every year!
Their float, entitled 'Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen', to commemorate Cheriton CA's 16th anniversary, was an eye-catcher at Tonbridge, Lydd, Folkestone, Westgate, Birchington, and Hastings where the Junior Court were interviewed live on the Meridan television magazine programme, Meridian Tonight.
And though they didn't have a carnival parade of their own, the Junior Court of Rhiannon, Ben, Danielle and Natasha were asked to lead the Folkestone Christmas Lights parade. The entire court took their place for the final time in the Cavalcade of Cars, once again having to rush off to take part in the Aylesham Christmas carnival afterwards.
If that wasn't enough the Court also won a staggering 68 prizes - more than any other association in Kent had ever won before, including an amazing NINE prizes in one weekend! Not bad for a Court who spent most of the year with just a Junior Court accompanied by their Senior Queen!
Even off the carnival circuit members of the Cheriton Court and Committee were winning prizes with Ben winning the Junior Kent Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest, while Karol took second and third place in the Senior Kent Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Meanwhile, Siobhan was dazzling audiences across the Europe when she starred in the Astor College production of Sweet Charity in both Russia and England. But Siobhan wasn't the only one who was wowing audiences. Ben starred as Peter Wealthy in his first ever play - the Charlton Primary School's summer production, Babes in the Woods.
A year that had started so badly financially, ended well with Siobhan taking the Miss Garden of England, the Miss EuroRegion Congeniality, the North London Debutante, the FICA Belle of the Ball, and the Kent Carnival Princess titles, along with runner-up spots in the Essex Senior Carnival Personality and Essex Debutante contests; and former Queen Mary won the Miss Euro Cinque Ports title. And for Siobhan all those titles were a triumph over the attacks of serious stomach complaints (and a near fatal burst appendix) she had to put up with for most of the year. Meanwhile, Ben, the only boy in the court, went one better than Siobhan when he won the Essex Junior Carnival Personality award, while the entire Junior Court of Rhiannon, Ben, Tasha and Jenna-Marie claimed the Kent Court of Courts cup.
The end of the Cheriton Carnival Association and Court came in May
2004. Increasing expenses (particularly insurance premiums), a year of set-backs involving accidents, vandalism and thefts (including one, in an example of breath-taking chutzpah, outside a Police Station in Essex),and lack of money and sponsorship (though KSoft's donation £210 at the beginning of the year helped the Court to participate in many more events in 2004 than they would have otherwise) meant the painful decision had to be made - and for Karol, Kathryn, Ben, Danielle and Maurice it was like the death of another family member.However, Cheriton was not forgotten on the 2004 carnival circuit with Siobhan as a member of the Kent Court, Ben a prince in the DCAL Dover Court, and Rhiannon a junior princess in the Folkestone Court.
A lasting memorial to the Cheriton and Morehall Carnival Association now resides within a time capsule under the heart of the White Horse on Cheriton Hill, in the form of a photo of and letter from the last ever Cheriton Court - the most sucessful that Cheriton had ever known. If the Cheriton and Morehall Carnival Association had managed to continue for another year, the theme of the float was to have been 'Discover Cheriton', with the image of the White Horse as the centre-piece.
Just after the demise of the Cheriton Court, Ben and Danielle travelled to Maidstone to receive their Children's University degrees from BBC Radio Kent presenter Julie Maddox at a special ceremony held at the Girls Grammar School in the town. They had managed to combind their studies at the University every Saturday morning between 2002 and 2004 with their duties in the carnival court every weekend - sometimes rushing straight from their course to an event somewhere in the south east! Two weeks later Ben and Danielle then went on to win prizes in the Split The Lark poetry festival at the Dover Town Hall. Ben won first place with 'In My House' while Danielle took third place with 'The Haunted House'. Meanwhile, Siobhan was proving an international hit once again on stage when she starred in Astor College's production of South Pacific in Russia, Croatia and England.
Copyright © 2006 Cheriton and Morehall CA. All Rights Reserved.
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