On the 4th May this year, Dave Lee set us all a challenge to identify the Great Wakering Carnival Queen and her princesses in the above mystery photograph. The photograph was taken by the late Bill Stow outside of his hardware shop opposite the old school in Great Wakering High Street, possibly between 1965 to 1969.
Ray Beadell was first to respond to say that the princess in the middle might be Carmen Clayton, who lived opposite the Exhibition Public House in the High Street. Dave Lee then suggested that maybe David & Dawn Bailey’s Cousin (who is married to John Bridge) and who would have been of a similar age and lived opposite to her in Exhibition Lane, could confirm this.
David and Dawn Bailey made enquiries and confirmed with further help from Jen (Wall) Bridge and Penny (Driscoll) Rae, the names in the photograph as being Jackie Brown the Carnival Queen and her Princesses Carmen Clayton in the middle and Jackie’s sister Janet Brown on the right.
There is a much appreciated supplement to Dave's original photo, this being the photograph below of Jackie Brown as Carnival Queen which was sent to Penny (Driscoll) Rae by none other than Jackie Brown, herself.
Dave Lee wishes to thank all of the detectives who helped to solve the identity of the people in his original photograph. Even after Dave’s appreciation to all of the detectives, Pauline King came forward and identified the man looking over the top as being her Grandad, Gus Dayman. Well done Pauline, what an eye for detail!
