When the following resolutions were proposed
That prizes be offered only to the 1st
2nd 3rd& 4th in each respective class
In the vase class the wording as follows
Not less than 9 tulips any type or
Variety-foliage allowed
The details for the Christmas cheer
Was ???discussed- 16 prizes were
Allotted, 3,000 tickets to be printed.
Page 26.
In view of the fact that we are drawing near to the official Centenary of the Society the Secretary I Hewitt while searching among old records came across the following facts:-
In the Wakefield and Halifax Journal-a weekly paper published at 7d per copy- is a report of the Wakefield Florists Society holding their Show at the Woodman Inn on
MAY 31st 1829. This is the first Show date that I can trace, and it appears that the members were chiefly Tulip Fanciers.
It is quite likely that this Society was the origin of the Wakefield Tulip Society.
Such names as Gill, Shilleto, Blackburn, and Hardman appear; two of those names have always been associated with
Tulip growing for a very long period.
At this Show all the blooms were shown in single classes. Some of the names of the flowers were Trafalgar
Magnifique, Gloria Mundi, Bells King
Princess and Mirabella.
In those days Wakefield must have been a flourishing town from a gardeners point of view. Side by side with the Florists
Society, is a report of the Wakefield
Horticultural Society having an exhibition at the Music Saloon on June 3rd 1829
The judges were W Riley John Calton and Richard Marshall.
The next record is dated June 13th 1845 and culled from the Wakefield and West
Riding Herald 4 1/2 d per copy
The exhibition was held at The Royal
Oak Inn WRENGATE the landlord being Mr ??? Pearson.
The judges were John Gill and J
Billington, pansies were also shown as well as tulips.
In the Wakefield Express dated June
5th 1852 the Wakefield FLORAL
Society held an exhibition on Monday May 31st1852 , at the Royal Oak Inn.
WRENGATE,the judges were James
Drake,William Whitaker, and John
Parker. All the tulips were shown in single classes, calceolarias and pansies were also shown. Names of the chief winners were S Hartley, J
Gill, J Pearson and Mr Blackburn.
The address of John Gill is given as
Eastmore.
Wakefield Express dated June 11th 1853
The Eastmore Floral Society held a
Show at the Fox and Grapes.
Judges William Thomas, and J Heesome,
Chief winners John Gill and S Hartley this is the first mention of tulips shown in pans and the first prize for
7 dissimilar tulips was won by John
Gill and he was awarded a handsome tea pot.
The search for these records entailed a considerable amount of time but I believe them to be accurate and reliable
I H ( Hewitt Secretary)
