SETTLE is currently the focus of its annual summer Flower Pot Festival - but 50 years ago, it was the week long Carnival that had everyone in the community taking part. Lesley Tate looks back to the carnival of July, 1967.

A DECORATED pram competition was just one of the attractions at the very popular Settle Carnival 50 years ago.

Winners of the contest were Susan and Ian Wall with their 'teddy bears' picnic' pram, while Marie Eccleston, Angela and Belinda Boughen, were runners up with their 'Settle before family allowances' pram. More imaginatively themed prams were 'going to the Ugly Bug ball' and 'Victorian child in pram'.

And it wasn't just decorated prams at the week long carnival, organised by the Settle Area Community Council, there were also contests for decorated bicycles, and many assorted fancy dress classes for both children and adults - and all before parents took themselves off to a theatrical shop to hire an outfit.

Judges for the fancy dress competitions included Coronation Street scriptwriter, Mr J Finch, of Rathmell.

In the historical fancy dress for young children, David Bullock and Lyn Porter were placed first as Robin Hood and Maid Marion; while Alison Dryden was second as Cleopatra, and Richard Frankland came third as Dick Whittington. For the older children, Susan Kettlewell as Queen Elizabeth was first, while Clive Mitchell was second as a beefeater. In the original fancy dress, imaginations ran riot, and included a robot (Yvonne Smith), Turkish delight (Nicola Dryden), and strawberries and cream (Amanda and Simon Green). There was even a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (Michael and Janet Tomlinson).

The Carnival included a number of events throughout the week, such as a pet show and maypole dancing, and culminated on the Saturday with a procession through the town.

Glorious sunshine ensured a large crowd to the event in July, 1967, and they assembled in their very best on specially set up platform in the Market Place, for the best view.

The platform had been decorated by volunteers from Settle High School and the market cross was dressed with bunting.

Decorated wagons collected in Station Road, along with two ambulances, the Cave Rescue Organisation Landrover, a fire engine and a Dugdale's trade van.

Those taking part in the procession with wagons included the Settle Play Group, with their 'children of many lands', and St Marys and St Michael's RC Church, with 'Noah's Ark'. There was also a 'Keystone Cops' (the Wednesday Club), and 'South Pacific' (Amateur Operatic Society).

The Carnival Princess, Jill Verden, and her two attendants, Sally Sharp and Cynthia Fawcett, joined the fancy dress procession in a Landrover decorated with flowers. Nine year old Jill, in a speech to the crowds, said how happy she was to have been chosen for the role of princess and added on behalf of all the children of Settle, her hope that the town would soon get its own swimming pool - a cause very much the town's focus at the time and for which a collection was made.

An demonstration by the Cave Rescue Organisation was unable to go ahead as some of the equipment had been lost in the recent rescue operations at Mossdale Caverns, where six men had lost their lives.

A selection of folk songs were sung by Ann and Stan of Long Preston, and what proved to be very popular, a pram race for adults.

'Babies' and prams came complete with nappies and bottles and all three entrants were awarded with prizes after walking round the Shambles three times. They were Margaret Roberts and Violet Douglas; Sheila Bullock and Rosemary Lambert, and Walter Mitton and Pat Mc/eogh.

The day ended with a dance, organised by the Young Liberals in the Victoria Hall with music supplied by The Strangers from Pontin's Holiday Camp, Morecambe.

Running alongside the carnival was also children's sports, which took place at Bond Lane Playing Fields during the week, and included flat races, sack races, three legged races and wheelbarrow races.

There was also a 'have a go' contest for children held in the Victoria Hall where children put on a variety of entertainment. Children from Marshfield School put on a shadow puppet show and a mummers' play, St George and the Dragon. Meanwhile, the youngest entrant was two year old Diane Carr, who recited Jack and Jill. Several small children were overawed by the audience, and were unable to perform.