Cold Ash Gardening Club excited for return of historic annual Summer Show and Plant Sale

Cold Ash Gardening Club is hosting its annual Summer Show and Plant Sale at Acland Memorial Hall next weekend — thought to be the oldest in the area.

This year’s event on Saturday, September 14, features classes for flowers, fruit and vegetables, homecraft, photography, a plant sale, plus a baking competition where entrants can use their own recipes.

The three categories are: a bread plait, five cheese straws and five Olympic-themed cupcakes.

Also included are competitions for homemade jams, jellies, fruit curd, marmalade and homemade wines and liqueurs.

Junior visitors are invited to make an Olympic or Paralympic mascot using any fruit and/or vegetables. Cocktail sticks may be used to join parts together.

Junior competitions are for those aged five and under, five to seven and eight to 11.

Please bring mascots along between 8.30am and 10am.

Contact treasurer@cahs.org.uk or visit Cold Ash Post Office to obtain entry forms.

Adult entries (25p per class) should be returned by Thursday, September 12, to: Grahame Collins, Upwey, Cold Ash Hill, or, Fred Davison, Goran, Bucklebury Alley. Junior entry is free.

Visit https://cahs.org.uk or the Post Office for full details on classes.

Judging begins at 10.30am. The show will open to the public from 2pm. Awards will be presented at 4pm.

The first village produce show was organised on Wednesday, August 29, 1877, by John Bacon, who settled at Sunnyside, in Collaroy Road, in 1876.

Most cottages had large gardens that provided fruit and vegetables.

Some families supplemented their food supply by working an allotment.

But concerned by the local poverty he saw, Rev Bacon decided to establish a produce show, a then uncommon practice for a village the size of Cold Ash.

The show encouraged locals to grow better quality produce and provided an alternative attraction to poaching and visiting pubs.

More than 500 villagers attended the show, which featured 16 classes and exhibits and raised almost £4 from admissions.

Mr Bacon himself provided the cash prizes, some significantly higher than a labourer’s weekly wage.

The Newbury Weekly News reported on Thursday, September 6, 1877: “Everything and everyone was in holiday attire…The garden produce exhibited was exceptionally good, the potatoes especially calling for marked attention.”

Subsequent shows featured further classes in needlework, talks on beekeeping and basket weaving, pyrotechnic displays and entertainment by the Cold Ash Handbell Ringers.