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Tickhill Flower Shows
With
the Flower Festival at St Mary’s over the August Bank Holiday
weekend and the Horticultural Society’s Show on 8 September,
Tickhill has had a floral feast this year. Flower Shows are part
of a long tradition in Tickhill, although earlier ones usually
combined the output of local gardens displayed in marquees with
a range of outdoor activities more in the spirit of present-day
Galas.
The 31st
Annual Exhibition of Tickhill Horticultural Society in August
1893 was, perhaps, more modest in scope than some later shows.
Fruit, vegetables, cut flowers and plants were arranged in a
marquee in a field loaned by Mrs W Whinfrey. Outside 16 children
performed Maypole dancing while the Jubilee Brass Band played
during the afternoon and evening. The Tickhill Flower Show held
over the 1901 August Bank Holiday weekend was altogether more
ambitious. The following account appeared in the September 1901
Parish Magazine.
‘It
cannot be denied that an entertainment of this kind if well
managed, affords a great deal of enjoyment to hundreds, gives an
opportunity to many for a day’s outing and conduces to the
prosperity of the town. There is much in Tickhill to attract
visitors. The quaint red roofed houses, the broad streets, the
ancient castle, the stately church, the beautiful landscape,
these of themselves are sufficient to give abundant pleasure to
lovers of country life. But when to them are added the
attractions of a Flower and Horse Show, Athletic Sports and a
Cricket Match, it is not surprising that numbers of people were
induced to come hither on Bank Holiday in the hopes of spending
a pleasant day. We believe they were not disappointed. The
weather was fine throughout the day, the field where the show
was held was conveniently situated, and seemed made, if not for
sprinting and cycling, at any rate for trotting and jumping. The
programme contained all kinds of interesting events. There was
the Cricket Match against Hallam, which beginning at 11a.m.,
lasted through the day, and ended in a win for the home team, by
an innings.
On entering
the Flower Tent one was pleased with the artistic display of
Ferns, Palms and Flowers. It would be invidious to single out
exhibitors in this short notice, but as we walked round the tent
and saw the profusion of vegetables and fruits, the number
excited our amazement and admiration. We were glad to see many
of our own people well to the front in the matter of prizes. The
specimens shown were in many cases excellent, and we
congratulate them that their labours had not been in vain. In
passing, the eye caught a glimpse of the prizes selected by the
Committee for the successful athletes; every article seemed to
have been chosen for its elegance and usefulness, and we
compliment those who were fortunate enough to receive them at
the hands of Mr Philips, who very kindly undertook to distribute
the prizes in the place of Lord Scarbrough, who, we much regret,
was unable to perform the pleasing ceremony. On emerging from
the tent there was much to attract. The foot races and bicycle
handicaps elicited frequent applause.
The horses
shown in harness and saddle were admired, not only for the
clever way in which they were handled, but also for their own
graceful efforts to gain the coveted Ribbon. Jumping the hurdles
and a four barred gate was also interesting to watch. There can
be no doubt that Miss Gill, of Brampton, deserved the 1st
prize. Both rider and horse seemed as one as they gracefully
skimmed the obstacles together. The last event, tilting at the
ring, caused much excitement, and the dexterity with which some
of the riders picked off the rings at full gallop showed
wonderful skill.’
The account
concludes with fulsome praise for the organisation of the event
in general and for Mr Dixon, school master, in particular: ‘In
Mr Dixon we found a man possessed of thorough business
qualities, whatever he takes in hand he endeavours to bring to a
successful issue.’ The Committee too worked splendidly and must
have felt repaid by the fact that the show was one of the best
seen in Tickhill for many years.
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