GREAT LONDON FAIR OF 1920

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 73, 19 December 1919, Page 8

GREAT LONDON FAIR OF 1920

100,000 INVITATIONS TO BUYEHS. Tho British Industries Fair of 1920, which will bo held from February 23 to March 5, will bo on a scale commensurate, with the magnitude of British industry and the largest yet held. Though there will bo three , fairs in different towns—London, Birmingham, and Glasgow—they will in reality be only separate sections of one big fair. At each of the ftvo preceding fairs held in London firms who wero mainly engaged in the production of war requirements wero prohibited : by the Board of Trado from exhibiting. Peace has lifted tl-is restriction, with the result that implications from British manufacturers have been so largo that owing to want cf floor space many havo had to bo refused. The Board of Trade, which is apain organising the fair, his arranged that in each of th,e three sections there will be different groups of industries, in order that buyers may not havo to go to mora than ono fair to purchase the goods they require. Exhibitors have been called upon to send in to a special branch of the Board of Trade the names of tho bona fide trado buyers they wish to invite, and these names having been collated and indexed, about 100,000 invitations will be issued for the London Pail alone. • Past fairs in London havo been held at the Agricultural frail, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Imperial Institute, and at the docks, but on this occasion none of these buildings affouls anything like the floor space that will Iw required. It has, therefore, been found necessary to take tho Crystal Pnlnce, which is the largest exhibition building in the world. Its floor area amounts to approximately 20 acres, of which 14 aro upon the main floor. Va a t as the space is there 'is already doubt whether tho building will not prove too small unless special additions are., made to it. Tho new home of tho fair will add very largely to tho comfort of both exhibitors and visitors, since it will be possible to nr-t' range for adequate luncheon and tea rooms. The trades that will be Tppresented at the Crystal Palace are.—Cutlery, silver and electroplate, jpv,fllery, watches and clocks, imitation jewellery, including hard haberdashery articles, glassware of all descriptions, china and earthenware, paper, stationery and stationers' sundries, printing, fancy goods, including travelling requisites and tobacconists' sundries, leather for tho fnncy goods, bookbinding, and upuolstery trades, brushes, toys and sports goods, scientifio instruments, optical goods and spectacle ware, photographic appliances and requisites, drugs , and druggists' sundries, musical instruments, furniture (knock down for export), and art needlework requisites. , Tho fairs in Birmingham and Glasgow aro being organised by the municipalities of tho two cities, under the auspices and ,with tho support of tho Board of Trade. As each fair represents a speciified group of industries, no one industry is permitted to exhibit at two fairs. As Birmingham does not possess a hall sufficiently largo for the fair, several buildings have been requisitioned for | the purpose, and it is also proposed to ■ erect open-air kiosks in various parts of tho city. The trades to berepresented in this section aro the following:—Lighting fittings for electricity, gas, oil, etc.; I cookjng stoves and utensils, including* nlumfh'rum, enamel ware, etc.; general hardware, including builders', marine and household ironmongery of all descriptions; tools (hand) of all descriptions and small machine tools; metal furniture for house, shop, office, garden, and camp use, including bedsteads; perambulators, mail-carts, and push-chairs; nautical instruments; firearms; fishing rods and tackle; machinery belting of all kinds; indiarubber'goods for industrial and household purposes; motor cycles and cycles; accessories for motor-cars, cycles, and aeroplanes;'weighing and measuring appliances and instruments; sanitary appliances; paints, colours, and varnishes and painters' requisites; tulles in copper, lead t brass and steel, and pipe fittings; architectural and ornamental metal work, including gates and fencing; ropes of steel and hemp, cordage, and string. At Glasgow the fair will be held in the Kelvin Hall of Industry, which was built for last year's fair. The following will be the class of manufactures shown:—Textiles of .all draer.'ptions; ready-made clothing, including hosiery; hats and caps; boots, •shoes, and gloves;, carpet and upholstery materials; foodstuffs (prepared and preserved), and beverages; chemicals (Hrfit and heavy); domestic chemical product.