1972 saw the exclusion of a local gypsy from the flower parade in what many locals felt was an act of bigotry:
“A Spalding man who took part in last year’s Flower Parade says he is disgusted and disappointed because he has not been allowed to enter his horse-drawn open landau.”
“I was only trying to help the parade because I’m sure I read early on that they did not have enough entries,” said Mr. Boswell.
The Chair of the Flower Parade committee stated he was happy for Mr. Boswell to enter a tulip decorated landau before giving the following lame excuse, “ Spalding Flower Parade has a unique image - there are people who are spending a lot of money to put in floats and they expect it to be a flower float parade.”
Gordon Boswell pointed out that the vintage cyclists, a parade favourite, were not floats and displayed no flowers. However, he did have the last laugh as he tagged on behind the end of the parade to much applause from local people.
On the same parade the National Union of Agriculture and Allied Workers had a float in the form of a snail as a “silent protest” in their fight to obtain pay parity with industrial workers arguing that they would have to work like snails to match industrial productivity. This was possibly too nuanced for many to realise until it was pointed out in press articles!
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