Flea Circuses

We used to go to Scarborough for our holidays. 2 adults, 2 kids and 2 fat Labradors in a 10 foot caravan, Snug!

We would always go to the tree top walk at Peaseholme Park and there was a flea circus, my favourite. I could stand and watch it for hours. Mum would stand on one side and say "look there he goes!" and "can you see that girl flea in the pink tutu" and I'd swear I could.

Dad on the other hand would use his no-nonsense voice, hands thrust deep in his pockets, and explain it was all done with "thin wires and puffs of air!" I have lived my life in a turmoil of enchanted scepticism ever since!

The highlight of our holiday was to be taken to a huge funfair in Margate called Dreamland, where I clearly recall once being taken into a small tent to view the flea circus.

The proprietor ("ring master" would perhaps be too a grand a title) had a small "ring" on a table where the fleas were put through their paces. He appeared to have put tiny wires around their mid-sections to allow some of them to pull tiny "chariots", whereas some walked a tightrope, and others held small sticks to simulate "sword fencing". There were also fleas to which he had attached tiny coloured feathers, calling them "hula" fleas.

I realise that childhood memories can, of course, be somewhat unreliable, but whilst it is impossible now to prove, it is such a persistent memory that I do hope that it is real.