Although we as collectors remember Oliver Whales as a manufacturer of machines, we
should not forget that he was also an operator. In addition to his Fun City arcade in
Redcar, Oliver and his son Peter opened various other arcades over the years along the
northeast coast, including Plaza Amusements in King Street, Bridlington, and arcades in
Scarborough and Whitby.
Oliver was a member of the Amusement Caterers Association and attended many
amusement trade fairs to promote his machines. One of the main annual trade shows was
held at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre. This was always a family affair as Oliver
would take his son Peter, daughter in law Mary, and grandchildren Helen and Oliver
with him. The picture opposite shows Oliver on his trade stand, with Mary in the
background. Helen told me that it was always an exciting time for her, and they always
stayed in the best rooms at the Regent Palace Hotel in Piccadilly Circus.
Although Oliver never learned how to drive a car himself, he did attended many
travelling fairs, and can be recalled by one retired operator as selling machines to the
travelling showmen from the back of his van.
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I never met Oliver myself, but I have been told by people who knew him that he was a
quite a large man with a cheerful disposition and was very fond of his two children.
However, he was not to be fooled, as he could, when required, be very good at sorting
out troublesome customers who misbehaved in his arcades.
He would keep very strange hours and would regularly stay up until after midnight
to make sure that everything was tidied away when the arcade closed for the night. Due
to this, he would seldom rise early the next day. When he did rise it was usual to see him
wandering around the place in his favourite red smoking jacket with the braided lapels
and large sleeves, "this I think may have been a throwback to his days as a draper".
When it came to business, his normal attire was a dark blue pin stripe suit, long black
overcoat and matching trilby.
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