Toot Hill Show 1954

Preparation

The first post-war Toothill Show took place on 31 July 1954. Early intentions of the show can be found recorded in the minutes of the meeting of the Flower Show Sub-Committee, Toothill Parish Room Committee held on 11 August 1953 at Cumley Road. The chairman of the meeting was Mr W. R. Holt, with Mssrs. Wood, Tucker and Murray also present. This sub-committee made a number of recommendations, the first of which was,

"1.That the proposed show be under the name of :-

The Toothill & District Flower and Vegetable Show."

The show would either be open to the parishes of Stanford Rivers, Greensted, Stapleford Tawney & Theydon Mount as far as the Fiddlers Hamlet or would be open to residents just within a five mile radius. The most suitable site was judged to be the Football Field, and Mr Millbank was to be approached; failing that a field at Freeman's Farm was thought to be appropriate. Sports, "which should not be of too serious a nature", and sideshows should be organised. Initial finance for the running of the show was to be raised from whist drives, donations and raffles.

Five additional members were to be co-opted onto the committee and Mssrs Fordham, Chesneau, King, Gladwell, Staines and Mayne were suggested nominations. Mr T. Cooper-Keeble was to be approached as secretary. The WI were to be "asked to cooperate with the women's section."

Mssrs. Fordham and Staines joined the next meeting, held on 26 August. Mr Holt took the chair. Both Mr King and Mr Cooper-Keeble had refused their invitations. The position of secretary was offered to Mr Banks of Fairview. It was confirmed that the show would be sited on the Football Field and a local darts tournament was to be organised to raise funds. Preparations continued through a succession of frequent, regular meetings with attendance for periods by Messrs Holt (chairman), Banks, Chambers, Fordham, Gladwell, Green, Licence, Mills, Spearman, Tucker, Warren, Wood. Mr Murray had formally resigned possibly because of his position on the room committee. The fundraising continued through the sale of football tickets, raising approximately £l per week, darts tournaments, and whist drives, bringing in about £3 per session.

Presidents and Vice-Presidents

At the meeting on 10 November, it was resolved to ask Mr Jack Millbank to become the President of the Show, maybe rewarding his generosity in making the field available. Numerous Vice-Presidents were to be invited (see Annex A).

Schedule of Exhibits

By 15 December, a schedule of exhibits had been prepared. Quite similar in character to the schedule of the present show, there were some small differences; two classes for apples and one for kidney potatoes are not included now and there is also no room today for a dish of cooked potatoes, then maybe a remnant of wartime catering: handwriting for a boy or girl is omitted today to be replaced by artwork on a computer; there is no place for children's knitting in 2006. An account of three pages, painstakingly detailing the variable purchase tax, itemised the toys bought for prizes in the children's classes.

A quotation for the printing of 500 copies of the schedule for £5.2s.6d had been received from Clarke and Co of Chelmsford. This was considered too expensive and it was resolved to produce "a single sheet handbill" in the same quantity for 25s. Income from advertising from local traders was expected to fill a second sheet.

Support and Sponsorship

The committee made overtures to various organisations for support and sponsorship. The initial request for a Banksian Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society was politely rebuffed since at that time Toothill was not affiliated to the Society. Woman's Own offered a bronze medal as an award for cooking, a diploma for well-specified handicrafts, and a diploma for outstanding exhibits.

The full weight of the financial implications of the show started to absorb the committee. Piggott Brothers & Co. Limited, then operating from their head office at 220-226, Bishopsgate, had quoted for a marquee, £24.10s.0d for one of 60ft x 30ft, and a length of 210ft of tables at £10.0s.0d. Piggott Brothers were then requested to reduce their total quote down to a more affordable £20. They did!

The Royal Insurance Company Limited sent to E. W. Banks, now a busy secretary, the completed insurance documents. The premium for the day of the show was £1.0s.0d, but reduced to just 17s after deduction of the 15% commission. However, the limit of the indemnity was just £2,500. Watney Combe Reid and Co. Limited donated £2.2s.0d and Ind Coope and Allsopp Limited agreed to the delivery of a 'Home Pack' of Double Diamond, containing twelve half pints of 'Double Diamond' bottled beer - heady days indeed! Not all initiatives and requests were rewarded. London Transport could not arrange for advertising in buses except under commercial conditions. The brewers Taylor Walker & Co Limited regretted that they could not be added to the "donation list". Essex County Constabulary declined to demonstrate Road Safety since they already had a standing commitment at Dovercourt on the day. Toothill WI declined the opportunity to provide tea "as it would not be possible to do this work to the satisfaction of all concerned". However, led by Mrs Edgeley, "the ladies of Stanford Rivers" promised "to take charge of the activity". The Stanford Rivers Hut Committee pledged the loan of about 70 cups and saucers, to which the Toothill Hut Committee added forty cups. Since breakages had to be paid for, the secretary, realising the full weight of this responsibility, was instructed to purchase 300 paper cups

Support outside of the committee may have been lukewarm. On 17 June a general meeting, open to the public, was attended by only four persons but all four volunteered to help on the day.

At the meeting of 5 July, stewarding duties were set down. These included the duties for both show, being the gate and car park responsibilities, and side-shows, housey-housey, roulette, roll-a-penny, coconuts (3 balls for 6d, 7 for Is - the traditional discount for quantity in force), a slide, bowling-for-a-pig, pony rides, catering, sports, organised by Mrs Roberts, tent arrangements and raffle. Leytonstone boy scouts would also be available! The services of the St John's Ambulance Brigade were obtained. 'Women's Own', 'Amateur Gardening' and 'The Smallholder' sent awards for disply on the winning exhibits. London Transport Executive confirmed the arrangements for an additional bus from Epping mid-afternoon in a letter dated the day before the show!

The Show

Unfavourable weather conditions in the previous Spring had made gardening "a difficult pastime". However, the show day was reported to be fine and there were 330 exhibits spread over 69 classes. Four more classes were added at the time of judging to cope with the large number of handicraft exhibits. The major prize-winners were:

The Special Trophy was presented by Mr A. B. C. Licence, now the President of the Show.

Twelve sports events were organised in great detail. Additional to the sprints for all ages were sack, wheelbarrow, three-legged, potato and obstacle races. In the light of the overall financial constraints, prize money seemed generous in running up to 10s to the victorious wheelbarrow team.

Aftermath

Audited accounts from the show make clear a loss of £24.11s.9d. but this was more than made up by donations from the president, vice-presidents and others. Additionally, whist drives, the football competition, rummage sale and darts competition contributed about £60. The result was an overall 'profit' of £72.17s10d.

Letters of thanks and congratulation arrived but the disposition of the 'profit' was disputed. On behalf of the Toothill Parish Room Committee, secretary Ronald Murray wrote to decline involvement in the organization of a future show. The 'profit' from the show was apparently accrued to this committee, who wished to be paid for the use of the hut and hut furniture, and for "undertaking to meet any losses incurred on the 1954 show". This resulted in the Hut Committee retaining £60 to be returned to the show should it go ahead the following year. It was perhaps strange that no agreement seemed to have been in place before the accounts were finalised.

One cup and two saucers were lost, the loss to be compensated by a payment of 2s.

The show did take place the following year, on 30 July 1955. This time there were 562 exhibits, up from 330. This time the show lost just £4.3s.3d. Donations and fund raising reduced slightly, perhaps hinting at a greater confidence in the show, and other incidentals generated a further ££63.14s.6d - the show then held almost £120 in reserves. Shortly after the show, the committee set about developing a clear, local identity for what was expected to become an annual event. The result was the Toothill & District Horticultural Society, now affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society, to continue the work in organizing the show.

Reflections

More than fifty years after this first Show, the sums of money involved seem unavoidably quaint. Obtaining third party insurance for the day for less than one pound seems incredible even for that time.

There are small insights in the organization of the show that throw light on the structure of an earlier community. The number of vice-presidents, many of whom farmed in the district, suggests a closer involvement of the local 'interests' than today. With the reduction in the number of farms, and the use of contractors, the base of a farming community has shrunk. However, the show, although generally larger in all respects now, still broadly reflects the intentions of that first show.

In looking through the minutes and other records of the show organization, it is clear that considerable care was taken in meetings to record the business of the committee. Meetings are held frequently and minutes are clear and concise. Great care was taken in the financial accounting and the final accounts were audited. This painstaking approach ensured that the Toothill Show had arrived.

Annex A - Proposed Vice-Presidents

At the meting of 10 November, the list of proposed Vice Presidents included: Sir Drummond Spencer Smith*, Col Kinsman*, Mr John Pledge*, Mr Payne, Mr Wallis, Mr Tom Kerr*, Mr Grant*, Mr Cameron, Mr Pearl*, Mr Mills, Rev J. E. Ward*, Dr Tugendhat*, Mr Hinman*, Mr and Mrs Auchinvole+, Mrs Millbank* (who was willing to accept and to contribute one guinea ⁸), Mr and Mrs Leake, and Mr and Mrs Chandler*, of High Warren.

At the meeting one month later, Jack Millbank* had declined the position, but had agreed to become a Vice-President, and Col Kinsman was invited to replace him. Additional Vice-Presidents were suggested including Mr P. East", Miss J. Price, J. Freeland*, Mr J. Green", Capt T. Spencer Smith, Mr Ireland, Mr Macaulay*, Mr Neville Browning, Mr Ernest Fowler* and Mr Bentley. Mr W. Green* and Mr J. Kerr* appear to have been added. The total number of names in this list is around thirty. The show was intended to be inclusive! According to a preserved list, those who had accepted by about March 1954 are shown with an asterisk.

Subsequently Col Kinsman wrote to the committee to point out that his initials were wrongly stated on the schedule, and moreover the decorations for himself and Sir Drummond Smith had been omitted.