Bob Trowbridge
Island Carnival Memories.
Bob’s memories of Carnival are very much centered in Ventnor, the town where he was born.
One of Bob’s first memories of Carnival was watching the 751st US Air Force Band coming up Pier Street from the café where his Mum worked – it really was a sight and sound to behold for a young chap!
1956 751st US Air Force band coming up Pier Street (Bob is the child with his head poking through the balustrade above the cafe sign).
Photograph belonging to Bob Trowbridge.
Bob remembers how Carnival was an integral part of entertainment in a time of post-war austerity when many families made their own amusements. Ventnor Carnival in those days was ‘huge’ and involved nearly everyone in the town in some way or other. Bob’s own family involvement stretches all the way back to 1898 when his Great Uncle dressed for Carnival as a Brigand. Bob himself entered Carnival as a boy, as his Father had done before him – his Father’s first one being aged three as Father Christmas in a pedal car. Bob’s Mum was a keen dressmaker so naturally made Bob’s costumes – a memorable one being ‘Anne Boleyn’ in 1963 which won a prize at every Island Carnival that year.
In the early 1970s Bob decided to join Ventnor Comic Jazz Band. The jazz band according to Bob’s research, started life in 1894 as a Mop Brigade and was made up mainly of IOW Riflemen who carried mops instead of rifles – it later then morphed into a musical band. In his interview Bob, together with childhood friend Lynne, talks about the rules of the jazz band, the type of instruments, music and songs the band play, their costumes, stories of antics down the pubs and tales of the iconic bandmaster “Skimbo” White.
Bob's first memory of Ventnor Carnival aged five or six watching from the balustrade of the Pier Street restaurant and looking down on the 751st US Airforce Band.
Bob remembers flags across the town and Ventnor and shops and houses that were decorated.
Bob remembers his entry to Carnival as Anne Boleyn with family friend Jill Holbrook.
Bob talks about the route the procession took and how in the days where there were so many floats there were numbers painted on the kerbs to mark their positions.
How Bob came to be involved in Ventnor Comic Jazz band, history of the band, their favourite tunes.
Bob Trowbridge 1919 photo Ventnor Comic Jazz Band, taken outside of the Drill Hall, IW Rifles, South St Ventnor. Photograph belonging to Bob Trowbridge.
Bob Trowbridge Father 1930 Ventnor Carnival. Photograph belonging to Bob Trowbridge.
Congregational Church 1951 (Bob is the baby sitting on the wall with his mum, grandparents, aunt and uncle waiting for his Dad to go by on Sharpe's float). Photograph belonging to Bob Trowbridge.
Bob Trowbridge - Bob and friend Jill Holbrook as Anne Boleyn, Ventnor Carnival 1963. Photograph belonging to Bob Trowbridge.
Ventnor Comic Jazz Band 1998 Skimbo at the front, Bob behind holding the mace as Skimbo had had bypass surgery. Photograph belonging to Bob Trowbridge.
Bob and Skimbo. Photograph belonging to Bob Trowbridge.