Ah the carousel. Who hasn’t ridden one at the county or state fair? But did you know that the origins of the modern carousel can be traced back to early jousting traditions in Europe and the Middle East? Yep, amidst the flurry of knights galloping in a circle, they would skillfully toss balls from one to another, showcasing their horsemanship expertise. This game, thought to have originated from Byzantine and Arab traditions, was brought to Europe during the time of the Crusades. The word "carousel" is derived from the Italian "Carosella" and Spanish "Carosella", which translates to "little battle". It was used by crusaders to describe a combat preparation exercise as well as a game played by Turkish and Arabian horsemen in the 12th century. As medieval jousting was gradually replaced by cavalry spectacles, such as the ring tilt, carousels began to gain popularity among commoners. These elaborate displays took on various forms across Europe's fairgrounds, with one of the earliest being set up at Place du Carrousel in Paris for children to ride on wooden horses. I wish I could show you pictures, and I have some, but for whatever reason, the blog site won't let me upload any pictures of anything. Believe me, I tried. Okay, moving on.
As the 18th century dawned, carousels began to pop up at fairs and gatherings across central Europe and England. Skilled craftsmen spent long winter months creating intricately-designed animals and mechanisms for these colorful rides, which would then be loaded onto wagon trains and taken on tour through the region. Among the notable makers of early carousels were Heyn in Germany and Bayol in France.
These first carousels lacked platforms, with the animals instead suspended by chains and propelled outward by the centrifugal force of the spinning mechanism. Some were powered by animals walking in a circle, while others relied on people pulling ropes or cranking handles.
In 1803, John Joseph Merlin unveiled his carousel at the Mechanical Museum in London. This unique ride featured horses that "floated free over a pole", connected to a large musical instrument that played grand orchestral concertos. As the music began, the carousel would start to spin, each horse galloping with a rider on its back. Despite its popularity among gentry and nobility, Merlin did not patent his invention, allowing other engineers to create their own versions.
By the mid-19th century, carousels evolved into the platform style we know today. Animals and chariots were fixed to a circular floor that rotated around a central pole. These "dobbies" were operated manually by an operator or ponies.
In England during this time period, carousels became a staple at fairs. The first steam-powered mechanical roundabout was introduced by Thomas Bradshaw at the Pot Market fair in Bolton around 1861. A journalist from the Halifax Courier described it as "a huge roundabout driven by a steam engine that whirled around with such force that riders must have felt like they were shot out like cannonballs."
Not long after, English engineer Frederick Savage began producing fairground machines after having success in agricultural machinery. His inventions were exported all over the world. In 1870, he began creating carousels with Velocipedes (early bicycles) and soon after, experimented with other types of rides including a roundabout that featured boats pitching and rolling on cranks in a circular motion, dubbed "Sea-on-Land".
Savage also revolutionized the traditional carousel by adding gears and offset cranks to the platform, giving the horses their iconic up-and-down motion as they traveled around the center pole – known as the galloping horse. The platform also served as a guide for the bottom of the pole and a place for people to walk or for stationary animals or chariots to be placed. This ride was called the "Platform Gallopers". He also developed the "platform-slide" which allowed the mounts to swing out concentrically as the carousel gained speed. Many of these rides featured fairground organs or band organs, providing lively music for riders. As technology advanced, electric motors were eventually installed, along with electric lights, giving carousels their classic look. Is it any wonder we’ve been fascinated by them? People even collect carousel animals!
So the next time you ride a carousel, think of all their history, and see if you can’t imagine yourself jousting! Or, just eat some cotton candy and enjoy the ride!
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