Commemorative plaque unveiled honouring Past President of the Showmen’s Guild Billy Whitelegg

An historic tribute was paid to Past President of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain, Billy Whitelegg, as a commemorative plaque was unveiled in his honour at Salisbury Guildhall on Wednesday 12 February.

The ceremony was attended by Billy himself, alongside the Mayor of Salisbury, City Councillors, members of the Showmen’s Guild and Billy’s family. The event featured speeches from the Mayor of Salisbury, Cllr Sven Hocking; Chairman of the Western Section of the Showmen’s Guild, Steven Hill; and Vice Chairman of the Western Section, Stevie Edwards, all highlighting Billy’s unwavering dedication, influence and lifelong impact.

The plaque marks a significant site in Billy’s journey and serves as a lasting tribute to his deep-rooted connection to the Salisbury Charter Fair. A proud member of the Showmen’s Guild for over 70 years, Billy reflected on this honour, saying, “I’ve known Salisbury all my life. Salisbury Fair is part of my family’s life. I love Salisbury Council. I love the people in Salisbury. I’d like to thank the council for installing the plaque and the Showmen for coming today…The people of Salisbury, the council, they’ve treated us like part of the family.”

The Mayor of Salisbury, Cllr Sven Hocking, said, “This plaque serves as a mark of our thanks to Billy Whitelegg of the Showmen’s Guild, honouring his lifelong connection to Salisbury and the Charter Fair. Billy has been attending Salisbury Fair all his life, joining the Showmen’s Guild at the age of 21, after serving in the army, and rose through the ranks of the Guild until he became president. We are truly grateful for his commitment and contributions.”

Steven Hill, added, “It’s a privilege to be in Salisbury. It’s a lovely city, where there’s a fantastic fair in October. I thank the council, the mayor and the officers for giving Past President Billy Whitelegg the plaque on the side of the Guildhall, for the hard work he’s done in Salisbury. We really appreciate it.”

Gina Farrell, Billy’s eldest daughter, expressed her family’s gratitude, saying, “We are very, very grateful for the council for putting the plaque up. I know [Billy] is absolutely over the moon for it as we all are. Can’t thank the council enough for all their hard work for the fair and helping us in any way they can.”

Scotty Greatrex of the Showmen’s Guild said, “What Salisbury has done for Billy Whitelegg, I feel, is fantastic. It was worth me coming all the way from Plymouth to see what they’ve done for him, because he has been coming here since he was a young lad, all his life…I think that plaque is absolutely brilliant.”

Jeffrey Lewis, a fellow Western Section Committee Member, highlighted Billy’s influence across generations: “Today everybody said some nice things about Billy, and all well-deserved, but nobody’s mentioned the young ones. He is very popular with all the young showmen. There’s not many here today because a lot of them are working ready to get out, but that’s the credit to the man, 94 years of age and he can speak to old people and young people. And his knowledge of showman’s stuff is unbelievable. So, we really appreciate what Salisbury City Council has done, and it’s been a marvellous day for us and for Billy, it’s nice for him to be out to see it all.”

Matthew Hine, Head of Business Operations, said, “The unveiling of the plaque stands as a testament to Billy Whitelegg’s legacy, ensuring that his contributions as a Showmen and for the Showmen’s Guild alongside his connection to the City of Salisbury will be remembered for generations to come. Our hope is to transfer the words from the plaque onto a stone on our Market Place, with an engraving where his ride was traditionally placed.”