AtoZ Challenge – X: Xmas Show of Stock at Haverfordwest

The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is for bloggers who wish to participate, by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B, April 3 will be C,  and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been published.   Blog posts are usually on a theme, or you can choose to post each day with no theme at all. My theme for 2024 is “Haverfordwest in the News”. Haverfordwest is a town in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales.

from; Cardiff Times, Saturday 15 December, 1883, page 8

HAVERFORDWEST CHRISTMAS SHOW OF STOCK
The Haverfordwest Fat Stock Society held a most successful show on Turesday. In the first place, it was located in the corn market, a covered in structure, where the exhibits and spectators experienced a degree of comfort in marked contrast to the exposed yard at the top of Barn Street, where the show has hitherto been held. In number and quality, there were decided marks of improvement, and the visitors seemed more numerous, and certainly more interested in the proceedings, than on former occasions. Being protected from the cold and all the possibilities of changeable weather, visitors were able to move freely among the exhibits, and the judges decisions were eagerly discussed, and doubtless criticised, in many instances. The committee have made a wise move in bringing the show to the corn market, and a very small expenditure on the part of the town council, which, by the way, now talk of improving the place, would suffice to make the building, in every way, suitable for the purposes of such an exhibition.

In cattle all the classes were well filled, and the general quality was excellent. A coloured beast from the justly celebrated Ffynone breed, took the champion prize. In other classes for coloured cattle, there was a very close contest, particularly in cows, where there was a hard fight for the second card between Mr. Fisher and Messrs. Morgan and Son, and the judges marked their appreciation of the quality of the latter by giving a V.H.C card. There were several fine black beasts, particularly for Slade and Trefellyn, and the Treriffith exhibit was particularly good, while all the cows were commended. Sheep were small in number. Pigs were a splendid lot.

Roots were especially fine, clean, and even in quality and size. The two classes were well tilled, and the Nolton Croft exhibits came very much to the front. There was some small difference of opinion among the visitors as to the award of the second card in turnips. We may note that in this class Mr Roberts, of Rippeston, who took the first prize, given by Proctor’s Manure Company for competition in the Western counties, thus beating Lord Northbrook, had on Tuesday to give place to the Nolton Croft roots, and the difference of opinion which we have referred to, was whether another lot of roots, which was only commended, ought not to have been second instead of Mr Roberts. Mr Roberts is stated to have anticipated defeat at this show, for he remarked to a friend a week ago that he could beat the English people, but he was afraid he could not beat the Welsh.”

The class for butter was large, and nearly all the exhibits presented a most appetizing appearance. Live poultry were introduced last year, and were considerably larger in number on that occasion. Quality this year was in keeping with the rest of the show. The Judges were:
Stock—Messrs P. R. Lewis (Carmarthen) and Lloyd (Tenby);
Roots, Messrs Fisher (Denant) and Greenish (Galeswick)
Butter, Mr Evans, (Messrs Palmer and Son, Haverfordwest)
Poultry, Mr Richards, Haverfordwest.

Their awards, which seemed to give general satisfaction, were as follow :

Ox of the Black breed, three years old and upwards— 1, C. E. Phillips, Treriffith 2, C. Mathias, Latrphey Court.
Ox of the Black breed under three years—1, S. W. Dawkins, Haylett; 2, T. E. Thomas, Tre- hale.
Cow of the Black breed—1, T. Thomas, Trevellyn 2, W. R. Phillips whole class commended.
Heifer of the Black breed under four years—1, W. R. Phillips; 2, T. Thomas, Trevellyn.
Ox of any breed or cross except Black, three years—1, H.F.Davies. Tedion, Lawrenny; 2, W. Morris, Nolton Croft.
Steer of any breed or cross except Black, under three years— 1, S. W. Dawkins, Haylett; 2, J. Jones, Casthe lLoyd.
Cow of any breed or cross except Black—1, Morgan and Son, Cardigan 2, J. T. Fisher, Denant.
Heifer of any breed or cross except Black, under four years- I, Mrs Colby, Fynonne; 2, T. Griffiths, Windy Hill. Special prize.—Best beast in the show—Mrs Colby, Fynonne.
Sheep.—Pen of five lambs- l and 2, W. Morris, Nolton Croft.
Pigs.—Pig, 12 score and upwards—1 and 3, G. M. Phillips, Haverfordwest; 2, Morgan and Son, Cardigan.
Pork pig, under 7 score—1 and 2, J. T. Fisher, Denant; 3, D. Wilcock, Freystrop.
Roots.—Five cwt. swede turnips—1, W. Morris Nolton Croft; 2, W. Roberts, Rippeston. Champion prize.
Lot of mangle wurtzels—W. Morris, Nolton Croft.
Five cwt. mangle wurtzels—1, W. Morris, Nolton Croft; 2, Bartlett, Broadmoor.
Butter.—61bs. mild cured butter—1, W. Morris, Nolton Croft; 2, Bartlett, Broadmoor.
POULTRY.—Pair of turkeys—1, Mrs Thomas, Cuckoo 2, B. Thomas, South Hook
Pair of geese—1, Thomas, Cuckoo 2, W. Morris, Nolton Croft.
Pair of ducks—Mrs Thomas, Cuckoo
Field Competitions – Roots –  Best 3 or 4 acres swedes (Odam’s manure)—1, Mrs Thomas, Cuckoo, 28 tons 1 cwt. 2 Roberts, Rippeston,
27 tons 6 cwt. Ditto (given by J. Thomas, Haverfordwest)—1, Mrs Wade, Roach,
29 tons 2 cwt. 2 qrs. 2 Davies, Knowles, 28 tons 2: cwt.
Ditto (Garaway and Co., Bristol)-I, Phillips. Nolton,
30 tons 7 cwt. 2, Bartlett, Broadmoor, 30 tons 1 cwt.
Ditto (given by Roberts, Rippeston)— Bartlett, 30 tons 1 cwt. 2, Richards, Rose- pool,
24 tons 14 cwt. 2 qrs. Ditto (given by Roberts and Canton)—1, Phillips. Nolton,
30 tons 7 cwt. 2, Bartlett, Broadmoor, 28 tons 12 cwt.

After the show the stock were put up for auction. The highest price reached was £56 for the Treriffith bullock, the Ffynone animal being bought in at £47. The total reached in the sale of cattle alone, excluding sheep and pigs, was £1,500.

THE DINNER
The Dinner was laid at the King’s Arms Hotel, Dew Street, and a very large company sat down. The president (Sir Owen Scourfield, Bart.) took the chair, supported by Earl Cawdor, Messrs W. Davies, M.P., and C. E. G. Philipps, Picton Castle. The Chairman gave the loyal toasts, and then the Houses of Parliament. Earl Cawnor returned thanks for the House of Lords, and said that was an unusual position for him, but perhaps he had better embrace that opportunity of doing so before Mr Davies had had the opportunity of disestablishing him. (Laughter) As to what the chairman had said as to his improving the breed of blacks, all that he had done in that way had been suggested to him by a gentleman whom they all esteemed. (Hear)  He (Lord Cawdor) got rid of his shorthorns and procured blacks, and went in for an improved breed, which he distributed among his neighbours at moderate prices.

Example did a great deal of good, and black cattle had improved enormously in the last ten years. (Applause.) He did not take the credit to himself, but there was nothing better than emulation. From what he had seen of the show that day, he thought that all round, the blacks were far better than at Pembroke show the previous day. (Loud applause). Mr W. Davies, M.P. said he would only say one word. He congratulated them extremely upon the way the show had been conducted that day. It was a great improvement upon past days, and the show was a great credit to Pembrokeshire. (Applause.) He hoped their general (September) show would follow in the wake, and become as worthy of the county of Pembroke as the show that day had been. (Cheers.) The Secretary (Mr W. Rosser), here read the list of awards given above. Mr Fishes, Denant, responded for the judges, and Mr Roberts, of Rippeston, for the successful competitors. The latter, speaking of the show of roots, said that if all the farmers of the country did as well as the men of Pembrokeshire they would have a large export trade of roots, instead of being so dependent upon foreign countries for their supply. (Hear, hear.) Mr Rees, Dudwell, responded as an unsuccessful competitor. Earl Cawnor gave The Health of the President, and other toasts followed.

 *A Mangelwurzel is a root vegetable: Mangelwurzel (thanks to reader Jill for supplying this information)

*Please note: Punctuation and paragraphs have been added to the above transcription for ease and speed of reading.

HAVERFORDWEST CHRISTMAS SHOW OF STOCK, Cardiff Times, Saturday 15 December, 1883, page 8. Retrieved December 12, 2023, from British Newspaper Archive

Mangelwurzel – Wikipedia

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