Poultry and Horticultural Show
A Cottage Garden Society was founded in 1895, and the first show was held at West Down House by permission of the Bosanquet family.
For Show
A meeting of the committee of the horticultural show, to be held in connection with the Vicarage garden fête took place last week.
The President (Rev. A.E. Dobson F.R.H.S.) presided. It was reported that the show is to be considerably extended.
There will be 74 classes, and the prizes will include two challenge cups and 21 specials.
The show, proceeds of which will be in aid of St. John the Baptist Church, is to be staged in the Assembly Hall. (September 1946)
In the 1920's and 30's there was a flourishing Poultry and Horticultural Show which attracted a great number of exhibitors from over a very wide area.
It apparently came to an end due to high costs incurred in the poultry section. There was also a horse show held on the farm of Mr. Thomas Blight at Worden.
The Horticultural Show was revived when the Rev. A.E. Dobson consented that this should be held in conjunction with the annual garden fête in the Vicarage grounds.
Bradworthy Garden Show: Rivalry - Two in a Fortnight
Those who are not familiar with local affairs are somewhat puzzled and surprised by two posters displayed in various prominent
positions at Bradworthy, one advertising Bradworthy and District Horticultural Show and the other,
Bradworthy Annual Horticultural Show.
There has been no mistake.
Though probably without precedent in this or any other village in the locality, there will actually be two horticultural shows this summer,
one being held within a fortnight of the other.
For several years a horticultural show has been staged in conjunction with the Parish Church Fête.
It began at the Vicarage in the days when fêtes were held on its grounds.
Later the show was laid out in a hall in the village, and it was only this year that somebody presented a
conundrum - was it, or was it not, a Church show?
The principal figures directly concerned with the organisation in past years appear to have considered that it was not necessarily a Church show.
Then whilst doubts, rumours and controversy spread and grew, the Church Council took a decisive step by forming a show committee, with
the local doctor as its president.
Their show will be held on the day of the annual fête.
Not to be outdone, however, the hon. secretary and hon. treasurer of previous shows went ahead with their own plans for a show.
Now we have the unique position of both parties claiming that theirs is the original show.
Queerest of all in this queer tangle is that the name of the previous Vicar of Bradworthy (the new incumbent is not yet in residence),
who has left the district, appears as president, not on the posters of the Church show, but on those of
the Annual Horticultural Show.
So a conundrum remains - two in fact. 'Whose show is whose?' and: 'To which show do the challenge cups belong?' (July 1958)
It was very successful for a number of years prior to the 1939-45 War.
It is recorded that there were 300 entries in 1956, 400 in 1957, and in 1964 there were 500 entries and 200 people paid for admission. The Horticultural Show continued until the late 1960's, and the garden fête continues at various locations to this day.
Show me the
Bradworthy
Home Page