Gremlins... a little bit of history!
Don't forget to check out our photo galleries of Gremlins stage & carts through the years!
1940s
1948
Gremlins Carnival Club is formed by ex-members of the Royal Air Force.
Founder members included John 'Dinger' Bell Snr and friends.
Headquarters: The Three Crowns, St Mary Street
Build Site: Moats Farm
1949
"Pages of Rhythm"
Gremlins won the Sam Hooper Cup for the feature with
the highest points in this year's Carnival Concert.
1950s
1950
"Hungarian Maytime"
1951
"The Land of the Lotus"
1952
"Seaside Memories"
1953
"Battersea Park"
1954
"Georgian Holiday"
1955
"Gay Pearlies"
1956
"Nursery Fantasy"
The club won the Carnival Concert, and despite coming 5th on the road won the Hardy Spicer Championchip Cup
for the first time, which in those days also included the Squibbing competition.
1957
"Chimps Almost Human"
1958
The club briefly ceased due to lack of membership but
restarted in 1959 after a windfall of 13 new members.
1959
"Sons of the Desert"
The Club moved build site to Saltlands
1960s
1960
"Moby Dick"
1961
"Union Pacific"
Club moved headquarters to The Bunch of Grapes, St John Street
1962
"Antics in Antarctica"
1963
"Visit of the Troggs"
1964
"20,000 Leagues Under The Sea"
The Club moved build site to the site now occupied by B&M, Broadway.
1965
"Tales of the East"
The Club moved build site to Baily Bartletts
1966
"Ugly Bug Ball"
Club moved headquarters to The Crown, St John Street.
The Club moved build site to Penzoy Avenue
1967
"Sorcerers Apprentice"
1968
"Oriental Carnival"
1969
"Troopers on Parade"
1970s
1970
"Circus Extravaganza"
1971
"Carnival Tijuana Style"
The Club moved build site to Wills / Fire Station
Gremlins won Bridgwater Carnival, the first time the club had a first place!
The Club now entered all seven Somerset carnivals.
1972
"From The Underworld"
1973
"The Sound of the Beatles"
1974
"Land of the Santas"
The Club moved build site to Bartletts, Colley Lane
Gremlins achieved first place at the carnival concerts, winning the White Hart Cup.
This was the first time the club had won first place at the concerts since "Nursery Fantasy" in 1956.
1975
"The World of Hans Christian Anderson"
The Club moved headquarters to The "Shack" Railway Club, Wellington Road.
1976
"The Yellow Submarine"
1977
"Alice in Wonderland"
1978
"Galactic Guardians"
1979
"In the Mood with Glen Miller"
The Club moved build site to the Railway Hotel site, Wellington Road.
1980s
1980
"Warriors of the Equinox"
The Club moved build site to Wilstock Farm.
1981
"Carnival Caribbean Style"
The Club moved headquarters to The Newmarket Hotel, Bath Road.
1982
"Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines"
1983
"Circus Comes to Town"
This year's entry suffered a snapped front axle pulling out of Parkway
at the start of the Bridgwater procession and needed welding to
complete the circuit. Despite this, it still took home the Bryer Cup.
1984
"Alpine Puppeteers"
1985
"The World of Pantomime"
1986
"Mardi Gras"
1987
"Parade of the Matadors"
1988
"Electric Cowboys ‘Rhinestone’"
The Club moved build site to Bristol Road.
1989
"Merry Christmas Everyone"
The club celebrated it's 40th Anniversary at Chilton Trinity School, Chilton Street.
1990s
1990
"Fiesta Mexicana"
1991
"Star Fighters"
The Club moved headquarters to The Snooker Club, George Street.
1992
"Minstrel Melody"
1993
"Morning of the Dragon"
1994
"Redskins"
1995
"Pirates"
1996
"Robot Attack"
1997
"Swingtime"
The Club moved headquarters to Bridgwater Sports & Social Club, Bath Road.
1998
"This is Halloween"
1999
"Afrika"
The club celebrated it's 50th Anniversary at Bridgwater Sports & Social Club, Bath Road.
2000s
2000
"Circus 2000"
2001
"Sinbad"
2002
"Fireworks"
2003
"Joseph"
2004
"Rio"
2005
"Mickeys Parade"
2006
"Ghost Ship"
2007
"Vampires"
2008
"Nemesis"
2009
"Joust"
The club celebrated it's 60th Anniversary at Bridgwater Sports & Social Club, Bath Road.
A big reunion for former and current members.
2010s
2010
"Wild Bill's Runaway Train"
2011
"Jungle Drums"
The Club moved headquarters to Bar 27, St Mary Street.
2012
"Revolution"
New website is launched, August 2012 by The Godmother Designs
2013
"Xtinct"
2014
"Brunel's Kingdom - The Shipyard"
2015
"Lights, Camera, Action!"
2016
"Mexican Day of the Dead Festival"
2017
"Run to the Hills"
2018
"Highway to Hell"
2019
*TBA*
The club celebrated it's 70th Anniversary at The Green, Wembdon.
1948
Gremlins Carnival Club is formed by ex-members of the Royal Air Force.
Founder members included John 'Dinger' Bell Snr and friends.
Headquarters: The Three Crowns, St Mary Street
Build Site: Moats Farm
1949
"Pages of Rhythm"
Gremlins won the Sam Hooper Cup for the feature with
the highest points in this year's Carnival Concert.
1950s
1950
"Hungarian Maytime"
1951
"The Land of the Lotus"
1952
"Seaside Memories"
1953
"Battersea Park"
1954
"Georgian Holiday"
1955
"Gay Pearlies"
1956
"Nursery Fantasy"
The club won the Carnival Concert, and despite coming 5th on the road won the Hardy Spicer Championchip Cup
for the first time, which in those days also included the Squibbing competition.
1957
"Chimps Almost Human"
1958
The club briefly ceased due to lack of membership but
restarted in 1959 after a windfall of 13 new members.
1959
"Sons of the Desert"
The Club moved build site to Saltlands
1960s
1960
"Moby Dick"
1961
"Union Pacific"
Club moved headquarters to The Bunch of Grapes, St John Street
1962
"Antics in Antarctica"
1963
"Visit of the Troggs"
1964
"20,000 Leagues Under The Sea"
The Club moved build site to the site now occupied by B&M, Broadway.
1965
"Tales of the East"
The Club moved build site to Baily Bartletts
1966
"Ugly Bug Ball"
Club moved headquarters to The Crown, St John Street.
The Club moved build site to Penzoy Avenue
1967
"Sorcerers Apprentice"
1968
"Oriental Carnival"
1969
"Troopers on Parade"
1970s
1970
"Circus Extravaganza"
1971
"Carnival Tijuana Style"
The Club moved build site to Wills / Fire Station
Gremlins won Bridgwater Carnival, the first time the club had a first place!
The Club now entered all seven Somerset carnivals.
1972
"From The Underworld"
1973
"The Sound of the Beatles"
1974
"Land of the Santas"
The Club moved build site to Bartletts, Colley Lane
Gremlins achieved first place at the carnival concerts, winning the White Hart Cup.
This was the first time the club had won first place at the concerts since "Nursery Fantasy" in 1956.
1975
"The World of Hans Christian Anderson"
The Club moved headquarters to The "Shack" Railway Club, Wellington Road.
1976
"The Yellow Submarine"
1977
"Alice in Wonderland"
1978
"Galactic Guardians"
1979
"In the Mood with Glen Miller"
The Club moved build site to the Railway Hotel site, Wellington Road.
1980s
1980
"Warriors of the Equinox"
The Club moved build site to Wilstock Farm.
1981
"Carnival Caribbean Style"
The Club moved headquarters to The Newmarket Hotel, Bath Road.
1982
"Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines"
1983
"Circus Comes to Town"
This year's entry suffered a snapped front axle pulling out of Parkway
at the start of the Bridgwater procession and needed welding to
complete the circuit. Despite this, it still took home the Bryer Cup.
1984
"Alpine Puppeteers"
1985
"The World of Pantomime"
1986
"Mardi Gras"
1987
"Parade of the Matadors"
1988
"Electric Cowboys ‘Rhinestone’"
The Club moved build site to Bristol Road.
1989
"Merry Christmas Everyone"
The club celebrated it's 40th Anniversary at Chilton Trinity School, Chilton Street.
1990s
1990
"Fiesta Mexicana"
1991
"Star Fighters"
The Club moved headquarters to The Snooker Club, George Street.
1992
"Minstrel Melody"
1993
"Morning of the Dragon"
1994
"Redskins"
1995
"Pirates"
1996
"Robot Attack"
1997
"Swingtime"
The Club moved headquarters to Bridgwater Sports & Social Club, Bath Road.
1998
"This is Halloween"
1999
"Afrika"
The club celebrated it's 50th Anniversary at Bridgwater Sports & Social Club, Bath Road.
2000s
2000
"Circus 2000"
2001
"Sinbad"
2002
"Fireworks"
2003
"Joseph"
2004
"Rio"
2005
"Mickeys Parade"
2006
"Ghost Ship"
2007
"Vampires"
2008
"Nemesis"
2009
"Joust"
The club celebrated it's 60th Anniversary at Bridgwater Sports & Social Club, Bath Road.
A big reunion for former and current members.
2010s
2010
"Wild Bill's Runaway Train"
2011
"Jungle Drums"
The Club moved headquarters to Bar 27, St Mary Street.
2012
"Revolution"
New website is launched, August 2012 by The Godmother Designs
2013
"Xtinct"
2014
"Brunel's Kingdom - The Shipyard"
2015
"Lights, Camera, Action!"
2016
"Mexican Day of the Dead Festival"
2017
"Run to the Hills"
2018
"Highway to Hell"
2019
*TBA*
The club celebrated it's 70th Anniversary at The Green, Wembdon.