The Cake Walk Fairground Machine

The Cake Walk was a fairground machine invented in Warrington by Samual Plinston and his brother Frederick and patented in July 1907 by Walter Taylor from New Brighton Wallasey. It consisted of two walkways with handrails which fairgoers used as they tried to maintain their balance while the platform, powered by a steam machine, pitched and tossed. The first ride was built near Birkenhead and after being shown at venues in Cheshire, it was a great success at the Hamburg Fair in December 1908. The idea proved popular, and Cake Walks were operated in Earl’s Court, Crystal Place, Blackpool and Weston Super Mare.

The original machine from an advert in Billboard 9 Sept 1908

A limited company was set up in April 1910 with £5,000 in 10-shilling shares and an office at 94 Farncombe Street Bermondsey. The same year a factory was opened at the Kingsley Works, Grange Road Willesden Green. In 1911 the Plinston brothers were living nearby at 6 Lewington House, 150 Chapter Road.

Kingsley Works Grange Road, 1915 Map

But the directors fell out, and in July 1911, Walter Taylor (the managing director) took Frederick Plinston to court in Southport accusing him of falsifying the accounts. Walter alleged there were differences between the takings from the rides on Southport beach and the customer numbers counted by private detectives. But the case was dismissed as the counting system was shown to be inaccurate. However, the company was in trouble financially and was dissolved in June 1912. Today, one of the original Plinston machines still tours the country operated by the Bishton family.

Modern film of people on a cake walk ride.

The name of the ride came from the 19th century dances invented by American enslaved people, to mock the formal dances of the plantation owners who gave a cake to the best performers. The Cake Walk became very popular in vaudeville and music halls.

Here is a short film clip of the dance, from the Library of Congress.

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