THIS week I feature some facts about our wonderful Orsett Show, now in its 109th year and still going strong!
I wonder in 1841, when the Orsett Agricultural Association and Labourer’s Friend Society put on their first ploughing match, on October 11, in a field owned by Samuel Newcombe, in Orsett, they thought it would survive as a major community event in the next millennium.
The original event was entirely geared to the agricultural work of the district, with ploughing matches for the young and older ploughmen.
Interestingly,there werearange of rewards for agricultural workers including barnmen, labourers and female servants, whose skills and loyalty to one master or mistress farmerreceived prizesranging from £1 to 10 shillings. Meanwhile, the married couple who brought up the largest family without assistance from the parish would be rewarded £1 and 10 shillings and the married couple who could demonstrate with testimonials their general good conduct, if recommended by a clergyman or churchwarden, would be awarded a bible!
I cannot report anything about the show during the Great War asit was cancelled, although the farming community were very busy producing food for the community and Armed Forces .
In 1919, the Orsett Show was again in full swing. There was a comic display in the main ring, tents supplied by Godfrey of Chelmsford, steam traction engines and competitionsin horse jumping, heavy horses, vegetables, fruit and honey! There were also displays of the Orsett Basket Works, partly employing disabled soldiers .
The entrance ticket price wa s raised the following year to two shillings from 11am to 3pm and one shilling after that. The longstanding president of the show was Colonel FHDC Whitmore, with the showground to the north of Orsett Hall. I am sure many will also remember the associated fairground, beertents and the ascent of a hot air balloon.
Well, the 109th show is on Saturday and Thurrock Museum Service is working with the Wallace at Grays Project and has secured a heritage tent to promote the history of Alfred Russell Wallace at Grays, the internationally renowned naturalist who built and lived in the Dell, now in College Avenue. This will be supported with other displays from other Thurrock-based heritage groups, so come and see us and discover more about our unique Thurrock heritage. There i s something for all the family.
DOWN MEMORY LANE is written by JONATHAN CATTON, Thurrock Heritage and Museum Office. Memories, photographs or objects relating to Thurrock’s past will be gratefully received for the Thurrock Museum collections. Contact by letter at Thurrock Museum, Thameside Complex, Orsett Road, Grays, RM17 5DX, call 01375 413965, make a personal visit or e-mail jcatton@thurrock.gov.uk
