Looking back at the 1985 Spalding Flower Parade

Back in 1985, the Lincolnshire Free Press covered the 27th Spalding Flower Parade when ‘a spectacular blaze of colour warmed a shivering crowd’.

Let’s ‘float’ back in time 40 years for some highlights from the archives of that day...

— The parade had a ‘movie’ theme and Miss Great Britain, aka Jill Saxby, appeared as Cleopatra on a float

Karen Fidler, aged 10, and now called Roxy Love and aged 49 joined her in a ‘slave girl’ costume

Their float reflected the film Anthony and Cleopatra and was designed by butcher George Adams, of Spalding Meat Organisation, who was celebrating 75 years in business.

Miss Saxby took precautions against the chilly weather and told the paper: “I will be wearing a thermal vest.”

-George Adams had 500 employees at the time and was pleased to show off Lincolnshire meat produce as well as flowers, thanking his staff with a special plate and two days of celebrations.

The businessman was pleased to receive a peck on the cheek from Miss Great Britain and he ‘doffed his traditional butcher’s boater as he accepted the proffered pucker’.

Also riding on the Adams’ float were Diane Lynch, Deborah Fearon, Lorraine Bunn, Sharon McHugh, Sally Bycroft, Stephen Hayward, Paul Jennings and Nick Stanberry.

— Tulip parade commentator Neville Angle ‘made his strangest ever announcement’.

He appealed to the owner of a set of false teeth to ‘come fetch them from his commentary box’. They had been found and handed in but still remained unclaimed at the end of the day.

— A party of ladies from Yorkshire’s most photographed town, Holmfirth, where Last Of The Summer Wine was filmed, were interviewed.

It was reported that the ‘ladies loved Spalding Flower Parade, despite the weather and plan to come again’.

— Miss Tulipland, Helen Drake, waved to the crowds from her float as she led the procession.

— Fourteen floats and nine marching bands wound their way around the town to the accompaniment of laughter, cheers and applause.

Floats inspired by the movie theme included Dumbo, Popeye, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, The Jungle Book, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Superman.

— British Rail produced The Sprinter to reflect Chariots of Fire, while British Telecom ‘phoned home’ from its ET float.

— The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang float designed by Spalding Young Farmers was too wide to go through the Halley Stewart gate and a wing had to be taken off before it was reassembled outside.

What are your favourite flower parade memories? Let us know in the comments below…