Delabole Slate September 2022

‘Great Proposals for Delabole’
This is the way that the local paper of 1900 announced the initial plans for our village show.
The origins of the Delabole Flower Show date back to the summer of 1900 when members of the Free Church Council
organised a “Hospital Day” where children of the village and Delabole Brass Band had a procession through the village
carrying flowers and collecting money en route to benefit local hospitals. The children were all given seeds to encourage
them to grow their own flowers.
The following year it was suggested that the Hospital Day could also incorporate a village flower and vegetable show
with classes open to all cottagers in the village and employees of the Delabole Slate Quarry.
By 1904 classes for poultry were also integrated into the schedule. The Hon. Secretary of the organising committee was
Mr Robert Pearce, who was also Headmaster of Delabole School and
the event was held in the school. (See photo from 1906 which shows
Mr Pearce with some of the show exhibits.)
I have no other information other than the photo kindly given to me by
Graham Rush which shows his
father, Charlie, preparing one of
his poultry for the show, possibly
in the 1950s? Charlie was
actively involved with the Royal
British Legion, so possibly they
were running the show at that
time? I'm not sure exactly when,
but the show died out sometime
in the 50s or 60s.
Graham Rush’s photo of his father, Charlie, getting
ready for the show
Mr Robert Pearce in 1906 at Delabole School
I first became involved with the show in 1972 when some former show “stalwarts”
like Mr Arthur Blake, Mr Jack Burnard, Mr Jack Wills. Mr Austin Hill and a few
others decided to try to resurrect it. I had no gardening expertise whatsoever but,
because I had worked for the Nat West Bank, they thought I would make a good
treasurer.
The first show was organised for the third Saturday in August 1972 under the grand title of The Delabole Horticultural
and Poultry Society. In those days almost every town and village in the locality held a show, so it was important that you
stuck to the same date every year to ensure that it didn't clash with anyone else. There were “Local” and “Open” classes,
so exhibitors showed their produce in the local class for their own village show and the open class for any other show
they decided to enter.
There were never any poultry classes in my time, but as well as flowers and veg, there were also classes for cookery,
art and handicraft and for a few years, for wine and honey as well. The men’s committee took charge of the flowers and
veg classes whilst those for cookery, art and handicraft were taken care of by ladies from the W.I. Our first President, if
my memory is correct, was Mr Arthur Kent and our Secretary Mr Bill Warring. Mrs Nora Kent was in charge of the W.I.
Contingent. For the first few years the show was held at Delabole School. There was a small charge for entry to the hall
to view the produce after the judging was completed, but no prize money for class winners. First, second and third prize
winners were each awarded a certificate.
Ray Worden
Brenda Burnard, Wendy Keat, Margaret Sweet, Val Wills, Kath Wickett
THANKS
Many thanks to Ray and Brenda
for this article and research.
Also, thanks to all those who worked so hard in
preparing and entering this year’s village show.
Well done, you follow on in a long and proud tradition!