POPULAR showman George Scarrott died nine months after being diagnosed with cancer.
Mr Scarrott, 63, was a fourth generation proprietor of his family’s travelling fair, based at Royal Wootton Bassett, and is sorely missed by many.
He served on the town’s carnival committee and was involved some years ago in providing and fixing small Christmas trees to the walls of the town hall – a venture shared with former mayor and friend Chris Wannell.
He also assisted with the High Street Christmas lighting for seven years.

In 2000, he addressed a Government Committee at Westminster on the difficulties faced by travelling fairs due to development of traditional show sites and the scarcity of alternatives.
The House of Commons committee saw many letters of appreciation that George received from local authorities, show and carnival organisers across Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Berkshire.
Royal Wootton Bassett town clerk Johnathan Bourne was among those who commended the value of historic travelling fairs in providing entertainment for all ages.
North Wiltshire MP James Gray paid personal tribute to Mr Scarrott’s role in the life of the town and countryside.
He was well known not only through the fair, but through his family’s winter work of delivering firewood and coal.
George and his wife Bridget first met in childhood, when she sat with friends on the steps of the fairground dodgems in her home village of Chiseldon, and admired the handsome young operator, George, who advised the girls to go home as darkness fell.
He attended school in Wootton Bassett, and was ferried from fairgrounds daily by his mother.
He helped with the fair after school and in the holidays.
He and Bridget eventually met again at a dance, at the Brunel Rooms in Swindon, when she realised he was winking at her. Only after a six year courtship was George convinced she would be happy to adapt to the lifestyle demanded by his work.

They married on March 3, 1984, and have two sons, George and Ben, who in their twenties are maintaining the family’s proud tradition.
“We all had a lovely relationship with George’s parents.
“There was never a dull moment when George was about – we always had something to laugh at,” said his wife.
In recent times he enjoyed restoring an old Scammell lorry, and in 2011 invited local people to choose a name for it. This was The Royal Showman.
He also organised various raffles for charity, chiefly Prospect Hospice.
Sadly his only sister Doreen, who was eight years his senior, died from cancer five years ago.
He remained positive throughout his own illness, and underwent trials of treatment that prolonged his life by several months.
He died peacefully at Great Western Hospital on March 24, and the family has paid tribute to the wonderful care he received.