They were an intriguing part of the Golden Mile scene and in earlier days included starving brides.
The newlyweds would encase themsleves in glass boxes and starve themselves for money which they’d use to buy a home.
Other side shows which began in the late 19th Century included conjoined twins, tattooed ladies and striptease acts which took their place alongside the fortune tellers to bring in the crowds. As long as it caught the imagination, it was a winner. These pictures show some of the odd shows as well as Blackpool’s famous fortune tellers through the years.
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8. Gypsies and Sideshows
Roll up, roll up and pay to see starving honeymoon couples inside glass cases in the early 1930s. Those were the days when sideshows made their mark on the Golden Mile. Notice the lamp post placard for the defrocked Rector of Stiffkey, who was also starving - this time in a barrel. | National World
10. Gypsies and Sideshows
The posing girls who had to remain completley still in front of Golden Mile visitors | National World
11. Gypsies and Sideshows
The booth run by the daughter of the original Gypsy Lee | National World
12. Gypsies and Sideshows
The Whoopee Club Carnaval Ball at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool, part of the Showzam series of events. Palmist and clairvoyant Carmen Petulengro gives a reading | National World