Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia

This article is about the history of the Society. See also Royal Adelaide Show and Adelaide Showgrounds.

The Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia was founded in November 1839 as the South Australian Agricultural Society with the aim of promoting primary industries in the Colony. The Society and its functions were patterned on similar organisations in England,[1] and in its successive incarnations, the organisation has continued to pursue this aim (in the State) to the current day.

History

Foundation

The South Australian Agricultural Society was founded as the result of a public meeting held on 28 October 1839.

The original Constitution provided for a President, four Vice-Presidents, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and a committee of 18 citizens selected by a formula intended to give representation to the range of members' interests and locations, one third of whom were to retire annually by rotation.[2] At some later stage, the committee increased to 40.

The initial appointees were
President: David McLaren
Vice-Presidents: Charles Sturt, John Barton Hack, J. H. Fisher and John Morphett
Hon. Secretary: Captain Charles Berkeley
Hon. Treasurer: J. A. Jackson
Committee:
  • Robert Cock
  • William Giles sen.
  • E. B. Gleeson
  • Stephen Hack
  • John Hallett
  • J. Keynes

Governor Gawler accepted nomination as Patron.

On 23 November a group, discontented with the way membership of the Society had dropped away, resolved to re-inaugurate the Society as though it no longer existed. They advertised for a public meeting to be held on 6 December 1840 at Fordham's Hotel, conducted by a steering committee consisting of:

  • David McLaren (Chairman)
  • Charles Berkeley (Hon. Sec.)
  • James Frew
  • John Hallett
  • John Morphett
  • William Pinkerton
  • George Stevenson
  • Charles Sturt
  • H. Watson
  • W. S. Whitington
  • T. Williams of Hermitage

[3]

    Agricultural and Horticultural Society

    On 24 January 1842 a meeting was held at the Mayor (Thomas Wilson)'s chambers to form the South Australian Agricultural and Horticultural Society.[4]

    Office holders elected were
    Patron: His Excellency the Governor (George Edward Grey).
    Hon. Secretary: Henry Watson, Esq.
    Hon. Treasurer: J. A. Jackson
    Committee:
    • Thomas Wilson
    • Charles Sturt
    • A. H. Davis
    • D. McFarlane
    • Angus McLaine
    • Jacob Hagen
    • George Stevenson
    • Thomas Williams, of Hermitage.

    Turmoil

    In February 1843 there was a popular feeling that the Society had been negligent in preparing for the Autumn Show. J. Bentham Neales offered the use of his auction yard as the venue, perhaps to stimulate some activity.[5] (It was held, on 17 March, but only made possible by donations solicited by John Morphett from wealthy friends, as the Society had no funds.)

    In August 1843 James Frew, president of the Ploughing Match Society met with others to change the name of his society to the South Australian Agricultural Society (the original title of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society), and possibly to conduct shows of animals and produce.[6] Under that name, the society conducted ploughing matches on 1 September 1843[7] The two organizations differed in their memberships: the S.A.A.& H.S. was largely composed of men of wealth and influence while the Ploughing Match Society/S.A.A.S. was more oriented to the practical farmer. Among their members were:

    • James Frew (1804–1878) (president)
    • John Wotherspoon (1802–1850)(secretary)
    • Thomas Kirkpatrick Auld (treasurer)
    • Auld (jun.)
    • Giles
    • Benjamin Greig
    • John Harkness
    • Hogarth
    • Lambert
    • McEwen
    • Masters
    • Pinkerton
    • W. Smillie
    • E. Stirling
    • Stocks
    • Thomson
    • Thornber

    A meeting was called by officials of the S.A.A.& H.S. for Saturday 27 April 1844 to resolve the situation that, even if the two bodies could coexist, the similarity of their titles would be confusing to the public.[8]

    The Annual General Meeting of the Agricultural Society at Payne's Hotel on 7 May 1844 commenced with the chairman Mr Frew detailing activities of the previous year – (besides the ploughing match on 1 September, a Cattle Show on 20 October and exhibition of produce on 14 February) and looked forward to an Agricultural Show in September, in competition with that of the R.A.& H.S. Conceding that unification was necessary, he argued that the only way it could occur was by members of the other Society changing sides. The tone of the meeting changed however when Mr Lambert and Mr Harkness spoke in favour of union, with the proviso that Mr. Wotherspoon should by the Secretary of the unified Society.[9]

    Royal Patronage

    In April 1868, following the highly successful Grand Exhibition, at which he was guest of honour, the Duke of Edinburgh accepted the role of Patron of the Society, which then became the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia.

    Office Holders

    Presidents

    1839 David McLaren

    1840 George Gawler

    1841 George Grey

    1846 Frederick Holt Robe

    1849 Henry Edward Fox Young

    1854 position dropped

    Chairmen and Presidents

    The title "Chairman" changed to "President" with the 1859 election.

    1845 John Morphett

    1847 Edward Stephens

    1848 Charles Hervey Bagot

    1849 William Wyatt

    1850 Abraham Hopkins Davis

    1852 John Baker

    1858 John Hart

    1859 George Strickland Kingston

    1860 William Milne

    1861 Edward William Andrews

    1862 George McEwin

    1863 George Charles Hawker

    1864 John Baker

    1866 Alexander Borthwick Murray

    1867 Arthur Blyth

    1868 John Baker

    1873 Samuel Davenport

    1880 Robert Dalrymple Ross

    1886 John Howard Angas

    1889 George Charles Hawker

    1890 Samuel Davenport

    1891 J. Lancelot Stirling

    1893 John Robertson[10]

    1895 William Gilbert

    1898 Alfred Muller Simpson

    1900 Samuel Goode

    1902 John Murray

    1904 Thomas Hardy

    1905 (Henry) John Hill

    1907 Alick J Murray

    1909 James Rowell

    1911 W. B. Rounsevell

    1913 R. H. Crawford

    1919 Robert T Wallace

    1921 J. Wallace Sandford

    1924 Walter Gordon Duncan

    1926 J. Lancelot Stirling

    1932 Sir Walter Gordon Duncan

    1951 J Keith Angas

    1959 Robert C. Gosse

    1964 Rex C. Warnes

    1976 John J. Duncan

    Secretaries

    From 1955 the position was described as Director/Secretary

    1839 Charles Berkeley

    1842 Henry Watson ( – ca.15 July 1894)

    1843 William James, Thomas Auld

    1844 John Wotherspoon (ca.1802 – 12 November 1850)

    1844 G. S. Kingston

    1846 Lewis Bryant

    1847 E(dward) Amand Wright (ca.1822 – 13 June 1891)

    1850 Charles J(ohn) Barry (1825 – 18 November 1896)

    1853 J(ohn) Thain Just (ca.1816 – 24 April 1854)

    1854 Nicholas James, jun. ( – 22 October 1861)

    1855 George Alston (1830 – 27 May 1908)

    1856 F. S. C. Driffield

    1866 Ebenezer Ward

    1869 C(harles) J(ames) Coates (6 January 1820 – 9 October 1889)

    1890 C(hristopher) M(ichael) Bagot jun.

    1900 John Creswell

    1910 Joseph A. "Joe" Riley

    1926 Harold J. Finnis MBE (a grandson of Captain John Finnis (captain), droving companion of Charles Sturt)[11]

    1960 Ronald H. Sedsman MBE

    1983 Gary T. Campbell

    Activities

    The Society's most visible activities were the Shows and Exhibitions, but also contributed in other ways:

    Ploughing Matches

    This event, as popularized in England, had teams of horses or bullocks competing and were judged on the straightness and uniformity of depth of the furrow and the way the earth was turned over, and of course the time for the team to complete its allocated area. Prizes were allocated according to divisions which reflected the class of ploughing team.[13] Difficulties in organising such events included finding sufficient area of uniform consistency to give ensure fair competition and having had sufficient rain that the ground was not impossibly hard and yet not boggy. The first such organised in South Australia was by the South Australian Agricultural Society in September 1843 and attracted considerable public interest and was emulated by many of the regional agricultural societies.


    Country Societies

    During the 19th and early 20th centuries many South Australian country centres formed societies with similar aims, following the British model. These included:

    References

    1. ↑ "The First Shows in Adelaide". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 21 June 1887. p. 9 Supplement: Jubilee Supplement to the South Australia Register. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
    2. ↑ "Advertising.". The Southern Australian (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 6 November 1839. p. 1 Supplement: Supplement to the Southern Australian. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
    3. ↑ "Agricultural Society". The Southern Australian (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 24 November 1840. p. 3. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
    4. ↑ "Agricultural and Horticultural Society". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 29 January 1842. p. 3. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
    5. ↑ "Local News". The Southern Australian (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 24 February 1843. p. 3. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
    6. ↑ "Local News". Southern Australian (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 29 August 1843. p. 2. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
    7. ↑ "Ploughing Match at Thebarton". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 2 September 1843. p. 2. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
    8. ↑ "The Agricultural and Horticultural Society". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 1 May 1844. p. 3. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
    9. ↑ "Annual Meeting of the South Australian Agricultural Society". The Southern Australian (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 10 May 1844. p. 2. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
    10. ↑ John Robertson (ca.1836 – 23 June 1896) was a farmer of Golden Grove
    11. ↑ "Personal and Anecdotal". The Mail (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 18 August 1928. p. 2. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
    12. ↑ "The Farmer's Week". The Advertiser (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 12 September 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
    13. ↑ "Advertising.". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 17 July 1844. p. 2. Retrieved 18 December 2012.

    Sources

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