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Blackpool Big Wheel Medallion Click here to return to Medallions IndexChard 24 Carat Home Page

 Obverse of Blackpool Big Wheel Medallion
Obverse of Blackpool Big Wheel Medallion

Reverse of Blackpool Big Wheel Medallion
Reverse of Blackpool Big Wheel Medallion

Blackpool's Gigantic Ferris Wheel Opened in 1896
Copper Medallion Struck to Publicise the Opening

The Winter Gardens Company
In 1895, the Blackpool Winter Gardens Company wanted an attraction to rival the successful and famous Blackpool Tower. It decided upon a gigantic wheel. The first had been constructed by G.W.G. Ferris for the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, and was 250 feet high. Another had been built for the Earl's Court Oriental Exhibition of 1895. They floated a new company, The Auto-Music Company Ltd., to own and operate the big wheel, a wise decision, as it was not commercially successful.
Interestingly, the charge at Blackpool was only 6 pence, compared with 1/- and 2/- in London. It would seem that Blackpool gave terrific value in those days, just as it continues to do nowadays.
In 1896, the wheel opened to the public, but it was overshadowed by the tower, which at 519 feet, was over twice its height. The big wheel itself was 214 feet high, and rotated every 15 minutes compared with 35 minutes for its London rival.

Obverse
The obverse side of the medal depicts the structure of the big wheel, from a perspective which cunningly and misleadingly makes it appear taller than Blackpool Tower
There is no inscription on the obverse.

Reverse
The reverse side contains the inscription:
GIGANTIC WHEEL, BLACKPOOL
ERECTED 1896
DIMANTLED BY
WARD BROTHERS OF ECCLES
MANCHESTER, 1928
THIS MEDAL WAS STRUCK
FROM METAL
COMPRISING PARTS OF THE WHEEL
The medallion measures 32m in diameter, and is struck in copper.


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