Deeply missed by all who knew her.
The rides trucks and living vans were transported from town to town by a traction engine named Lightning. Supposedly the engine got its name from winning a friendly race form Jebburgh to Carlisle between it and John Evans burrell traction engine named Edinbrough Castle. Lightning was an 8hp single cylinder fowler traction engine, number 3012 the last of twelve built from 3000-3012 It was new to G. Robson of Newton, St boswells on 30-07-1877. Emerson & Hazards bought the engine around 1906 from a haulage contractor in Wigtown for the sum of £30.00 it was used until 1913 when it was replaced by the now well known Lightning II.
Lightning II was a double crank 7hp Burrell showman’s road locomotive no 3526 it was ordered from their works in Thetford and was to be finished in verdine green, unusual for such an engine as this was the first engine ever to come from the works this colour . It has been said that the engine was requested in this colour due to Randolph Emerson being a Roman Catholic and of Irish origin, other people say its because of where they used to travel and the steam trains being that colour. The engine was delivered to Emerson & Hazards at millom by rail in November 1913 and cost £1,300. It transported the centre truck, my great grandparents living van, the organ truck and water dandy which was one continuos road train. Lightning II was also used for timber work at Rickmansworth Herts during the First World War and then later in the Welsh borders. The engine stayed in the family,s ownership untl it was replaced with two Scammel pioneers one from Edward box’s and the other ex military. Lightning II is now in preservation and owned by Richard Preston (Prestons of Potto) a haulage contractor from North Yorkshire. The engine graces many rally fields and is in beautifull condition to this day. In 1936 Emerson & Hazards took delivery of a brand new 42ft Lakins noahs ark with the 65 key gavioli organ transferred from the gallopers to the ark, the centre of the machine was mounted on a grand slam bomb carrier which meant that the ride could be built up, pulled down and run without having to remove the wheels.the noahs ark remained in the family untill 1973when it was sold to Billy Searle a southern showman who owned the ride until his sudden death in 1981 when the ride was to return to a member of the Emerson family two generations on Margaret (emerson) & Randall Taylor who travelled In Scotland.
John Emerson was the first child of Randolph & Susannah born 1896, he left the fairground life to train to become a priest but due to unforseen circumstances did not complete his training and had to return to help run the family buisness. He was very keen and knowledgeable about art and had a good collection of oil paintings and fine china. He never married and spent all his life a bachelor and died at the age of 73 on the 31st Dec 1968 and is buried in ulverston cemetery in cumbria.
Elizabeth Emerson was the second child of Randolph and Susannah she was born in 1898 like her brother John she never married and spent all her life helping run the family buisness until she died in 1969 at the age of 72 and is also buried in ulverston cemetery.
Ernie Emerson born 1900 was the third child of Randolph and Susannah and also my grandfather, he was an inovator and was happiest when playing the organ and keeping the noahs ark running and looking in tip top condition he went on to marry my grandmother Rose Holdsworth and between them they had four children one boy Ernest and three girls Rosemary, Elizabeth (Lily) and margaret. He died at the age of 76 in 1977 and is buried at Heversham cemetery.
Pauline Emerson was the fourth child of Randolph and Susannah and was born in 1903 she went on to marry Quilly Hoadley, they had their own amusements which were round stalls and a coconut sheet. They had seven children between them, one boy called Joe and six girls, Winnie , Joanny , Sheila , Marina , Suzi and Pauline. She died in 1998 at the age of 95.
Randolph Emerson was the fifth child of Randolph and Susannah he was born in 1904 unfortunatly he did not have the chance to marry or have children as he died at an early age from a burst appendix. He was a great fundraiser and did a lot of work for various charitys he died on 29th may 1939 aged 35 and is also buried at ulverston cemetery.
Lawrence Emerson was the sixth child of Randolph and Susannah he was born in 1905 and went on to marry Nora Jeffries they had their own amusements, a swingboat ride , round stalls and a candyfloss . They had three children one boy laurie and two girls betty and mary-ann.He died at the age of 72 in 1977 and was laid to rest in Bolton.
After the death of my great grand parents Randolph in 1921 and Susannah in on 9th august 1944 it was left to the two brothers John and Ernie and their sister Elizabeth to look after and travel with the noahs ark they spent their winters in Barrow-In-Furness where the family had bought some land and various property. During the summer months they would travel a wide variety of places which included Kendal, Ulverston, Settle, Carlisle, Jedburgh, Tweedmouth, Eyemouth, Gullane, Dunbar, Prestonpans and again back to Kendal. After the death of John and Elizabeth who died within three months of each other it was left to my grandfather to carry on by which time he was quite happy just to stay in barrow on the land that he owned as he was getting on in years. In 1972 Barrow-In-Furness council compulsory purchased the land and property that belonged to my grandfather to build a health centre and ambulance station. In 1973 my grandparents moved from Barrow-In-Furness, having sold the waltzer but retained the gavioli organ they accepted an offer from Mr Bagot of Levens Hall to take up residence in the grounds of the hall and have the organ there as a permenant attraction along with Mr Bagots traction engines. My grandfather died in 1977 at the age of 76 and was buried at Heversham cemetery but my grandmother Rose Emerson stayed at levens for a futher thirteen years until she sold the organ to a Southport showman Herbert Silcock and she moved back to barrow where she bought a house and lived there until she died on 23rd November 2001 at the age of 78 she was also burried at Heversham along with my grandfather.