History of Sherfield Show

The first Sherfield Village Flower and Produce Show was held in September 1966 and was conceived as a new way to raise money for the 3^rd Basingstoke (Sherfield) Scout Troop.  Jim Searle, Harry Moore and Bert Bowman took over the fundraising side of the Scouts and between them came up with the idea of a Show and Fete.  Other well-known villagers from the early days were - Jean Wright, Percy Sims, Sandy Johnston, Sonner Bowman, to name but a few.

They began with £27 in the kitty and the help of Scout leaders, friends and families. Taking ideas from shows they’d visited and borrowing vases from Old Basing and Basingstoke Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society, things began to take shape.  Then, as now, the ‘Show Bible’ or ‘standard reference’ was the Horticultural Show Handbook. This outlines the Royal Horticultural Society Rules, gives details for staging and judging exhibits and makes suggestions on scheduling and organisation.  There’s always been a copy to hand at every Sherfield Show! Local contacts soon provided a team of judges. Lord Sherfield’s gardener, Mr Alvaris, did sterling work in the Horticultural Divisions over the years, as did Mrs Collins from QMC on the Domestic side. Two other noteworthy judges were Mrs Singleton and Mr Cooke. Judges give their services freely and often won’t even accept the travel expenses offered. Divisions for that first show were Flower, Floral Art, Vegetable, Fruit and Domestic (Cookery) and most of the trophies we use today were generously donated then. Lord Sherfield gave the Sherfield Trophy (Horticultural Classes) and the Turgis Green MP gave the Gresham-Cooke Trophy (Flower Division).  Local businesses, farmers and well-wishers contributed to a spendid array of awards.  As new divisions were added, so new trophies have been donated, too.  Scoutmaster Jim Searle, working at Bramley Camp, shared his enthusiasm for scouting with the Camp Commander and the Bramley Camp Shield for Handicrafts was added. Mr S Eustace was a great competitor and gave the Eustace Cup for combined points in the Domestic Division. Today we also have awards for wine, photography and the Bowman, Brain and Elphick Cups for childrens’ classes.

The first show venue was a marquee in Boxer’s Field; sometime home of the old horse ‘Boxer’ and now SCATS Garden Centre. North Foreland Lodge and the Old Rectory hosted further shows.   The marquees usually came from the Scouts, but Bert remembers negotiating for a marquee with Tadley Guides!  In later years, the move was made into the Village Hall at the centre of the village. Once schedules were printed and been delivered to every house in the village by the scouts, all was set!  However, as every organiser knows,  there’s one thing you can’t control!  There was a terrible storm and  the weight of water coming through the roof onto the tables wreaked havoc with the exhibits.  Nearly everything had to be re-staged.  “At first, you couldn’t move in the tea tent, as we all ran for cover.  But, everyone rallied round, the judges were very understanding and the show was a great success, netting a profit of £50 – a tidy sum in those days.” Lady Sherfield presented the prizes, with over 150 entries and 200-300 in attendance.  The judges praised the high standards.  Willis the jewellers engraved the awards. The 3rd Show was held on 24 August 1968 with a fete and baby competition. Over 300 attended in bright sunshine. The Show Secretary, Percy Sims, recorded 291 entries.

Bert and Hilda Bowman led the team for about 14 years and then brother Sonner Bowman took the reins with wife Grace and son Albert. Bert and Sonner advised Phil Davies in setting up Bramley’s Show, and Bert continued to auction their produce up until only 2 years ago. Only one year(1991) saw no Show – when Grace was in hospital. In 1994, with Bert again at the helm, the Bowman family decided it was time to retire and asked for volunteers to carry on what they had worked so hard to develop.

Since moving into the village, about fourteen years ago, Sally and Gordon Brain had taken a keen interest in the Show, exhibiting in vegetable, fruit and flower divisions.  Sally values village life and “did not want to see the Show die.” So, under the expert eyes of Bert and Albert, Sally prepared the 1995 Sherfield Show. Richard Elphick, Jenny and Laurie Butt and I offered her our help, too. Other recent committee members include Sheila Banham and Elizabeth Frewin.  Elizabeth has kindly travelled back to Sherfield from her new home in South Wales to judge the Cookery section and you can see the present Committee on the following page. Sally hasn’t made many changes, as it worked so well already!  However, fewer of us grow vegetables now and there has been a boom in handicrafts. The slightly amended schedule reflects these changes. We also no longer have ‘plain boiled potatoes’ or ‘the most decorative salad’, judged on variety of ingredients and appearance.  The breaking of the link with the Scouts is another change.  Now, Show profits are donated to a different village organisation each year.  To date they have gone to  Loddon School, Loddon Sunday School, I^st Sherfield Brownies, Millenium Fund,  Evergreens and this year to the Mother and Toddler group: each group has helped us with the teas.

Many regular participants have helped to make the show a success.  Some names that came to mind were Arthur Kew, H J Isley, Mrs M West, Mr & Mrs M Durrant, Mrs N Welch, and Mrs Jackson who always gave a special prize for the longest runner bean.  Sonner still has a prize trowel from years ago!  Naturally, there’s been many things to smile at - Gordon having his eye on Bert’s prize onions, Rev'd Bob Politt innocently bidding for Rosie Burgess’ whisky-laced jam, the panic of receiving only 5 entries by Wednesday before the Show, writing entry cards ‘til gone midnight the night before or coming back two days early from holiday to set up!

Natalie Larner
Aug-2000
Reprinted from: Loddon Valley Link

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