Miss Woking
In 1969, the Woking Round Table organised a carnival,
held in July - The first 'Woking Whirl'. Each year, a competition,
sponsored by the Woking News & Mail, was held
to choose a carnival queen, given the title of Miss Woking Whirl, who would lead the
carnival procession. The
second and third-placed contestants would be the queen's attendants at the
carnival. As well as the competition prizes, the ladies would be dressed
by a local fashion store and receive free hair and make-up on the day of the
carnival.
1972 Finalists
The competition was not considered a 'beauty contest' and there was no swimsuit
round; there was no age limit on entrants, who could be married or single. In 1971, in a surprising
example of inclusiveness, one of the finalists was a man (more detail needed).
Entrants were required to submit a black & white photograph, from which the finalists
were selected.
From 1973, the winner was given the title of Miss Woking and, as well as leading the
carnival, would spend a year as an ambassador for the town. No Miss Woking competition was held in 1974.
The final Miss Woking competition was in 1988, and the last Woking Whirl took place in 1990.
The Woking Whirl was not Woking's first carnival however, and Miss Woking Whirl was not the first carnival queen. Here is an article looking back to the 1924 Woking Carnival.
