Elvis At The Mart 2019

Since 2012 I have been photographing people visiting the King's Lynn Mart which starts on 14th February each year and has done so since it was decreed by royal statute back in 1204. There's a good piece here by Lucy Mangan on its history, and in particular Frederick Savage (1828-1897), the engineer who designed many fairground rides of the time. 

I visited it a few times during the early 1980s, probably on 'Children's Day' when all the rides were half price. Then there were a lot of skinheads hanging around then and creating the occasional 'pile on'. You don't see that much anymore; although there was quite a good one this year between a a few lads which I managed to witness. Pile ons are now known as 'anti social behaviour' and the police get called whereas in the past it was dealt with by the roustabouts who were then the ultimate arbiters in disputes in which a slap on the ear with a gold sovereigned fingered hand was the ultimate behaviour modifier . 

If you are a teenager today the Mart probably still probably feels edgy.  Beyond the view of the grown ups there is the opportunity for a glimpse into a world where the girls from the nicer parts of the town can catch a cigarette off the lad from Turbus Road out of sight and concern of their parents.

The picture below is my favourite image from this year. This guy looks very cool - like a young Elvis in a tracksuit,  with his girlfriend on his knee and a don't care half-snarl at the adult world. 

If you're interested you can see a loose edit of the work to date here.