Christleton Village Show

One of the very sad things about the Village during the three years that covid has affected the whole country, is that several well established annual events have sadly had to be postponed. The Village Show is one of them, and this article and the accompanying pictures are intended to stimulate interest, so that we can think about holding the show again next year. The Show has had several forms since its establishment in 1871, but it was in 1990 that the Parish Council revived the Show in its current form and a committee of villagers has organised the Show between 1992 and 2019. The Show in the Parish Hall provides the facilities for entries into a wide selection of categories, enabling competitors, both adults and children, to display superb creative and growing skills, detailed below. I have provided a selection of images from the Village Archives to give everyone a chance to see what a wide selection of creative people we have. The Show is now sponsored by different individuals each year, and with entrants being charged a small amount to enter, to cover the costs of staging the show, all proceeds are donated to local and national charities. Judges are all independent, and give their services for a small fee, often donated back for our charities, and there are now 24 trophies to be won, in addition to class certificates. The Show is usually opened by a local celebrity such as the late Jim Partington, Les George OBE, Margaret Croston BEM, or more recently local Chester Councillor Stuart Parker MBE who has given the show his enthusiastic support for many years. Publicity banners promote the show at various places in the village and Edward Elliott’s special floral bicycle is always a great publicity attraction. The schedule is published early in the year for the show, so be prepared to enter items in these categories; We will be delighted to see you. Flowers; Floral Art; Fruit & Vegetables; Baking & Preserves; Decorative cakes, Plates of Food for a Street Party / Ploughmans’lunch; Wines & Cordials; Hard Crafts and Textiles; Art & Photography. A Children’s section with a wide variety of themes;

A short history of the Village Show
The first village show was held on “The Rectory Fields” called “The Park”, now the site of Christleton High School, in 1871. We’re not sure what events constituted this occasion, but we have evidence from 1872 that it was primarily a Fruit & Flower Show. In 1876 a Rose Show was held to provide funds for the new church building, and it took place on Sunday afternoon July 25th following a St James’ Day Festival service, “and was attended by a very large aristocratic congregation”.*” The Show was deemed a great success, indeed the judges were perfectly astonished with symmetry and general healthiness of the exhibits” In class 1 the competition was open to all and cash prizes of £1, 15/- and 10/- were awarded. In Class 2 the competition open to all local cottagers paying less than £10 per annum in rent, with much smaller cash prizes to the winners. Class 3 was an open class for Roses, and in Class 4 the prize for the best bouquet was won by Mrs Lucy Ann Ince who also won the class of the Epergne dressed with flowers (a display for the centre of a dinning table). The Band of the Cheshire Militia, whose Commanding officer was her husband Colonel Townsend Ince, played for dancing until dusk’. The tea tent was well patronised, and great credit for the overall organisation given to Sam Earlam and the Rev & Mrs Lionel Garnett.

Rose Shows
The shows in July of 1881 & 1882 for which we have programmes, were Rose Shows and Sales of Work, specifically to raise the remaining funds for the completion of the church building. Entrance to the Rose Show was 1/-, and tea and refreshments were provided at a further cost 1shilling. The show was followed by dancing on the Village Green. Transport to the Show was organised by a Mrs Barnes who ran the Favourite Omnibus and Brakes from the Bars in Chester to Christleton every hour beginning at 2.00 o’clock. The fare was 4d each way. Incidentally this was the same company who in 1911 advertised a service to Christleton to listen to the nightingales on the Woodfields, price 6d.

Grand Bazaar & Garden Party with Crafts
In August 1901 a Grand Bazaar & Garden Party was held at The Rectory, in aid of the schools, and was opened at 2.30pm by the Countess Grosvenor. This was totally organised by a Ladies Committee and was highly successful. The attractions included a Dairy Stall, Fancy Stall, Pottery, Baskets, Flowers and Herbaceous Plants, An Ideal Tea Stall, Fancy Stall 2 and Needlework. There were Menagerie Races, a Shooting Gallery, Sunlight Washing Competitions, Hat trimming competitions for men, Bran Pies etc. The event was sponsored by Lever Bros. of Port Sunlight, Wirral.

The Village Show categories that we have today were also held as part of even bigger events, such as huge Agricultural Shows. I have programmes for those held in 1913, and 1949 and these were events on a grand scale, for competitors throughout the Chester Area, from Christleton, Great Barrow, Guilden Sutton, Trafford, Picton, Upton, Wervin, Croughton, Plemstall, Tarvin, Stapleford, Hargrave, Huxley, Handley, Waverton, Saighton, Tattenhall, Huntington, Aldford, Hoole, and Newton. These were really amazing events to be staged at either Christleton, adjacent to “The Pit” or at Littleton Old Hall. The 1949 Show even included Aeroplane Flights over the surrounding countryside, provided by Wright Aviation Ltd. of Hooton.