TCHS History – Thornton Cleveleys Horticultural Society

In 1953, as the East coast of England was flooded, the Thornton Cleveleys Horticultural Society committee were meeting once per month. The Society introduced ‘Patrons’ as a concept to the organisation. Patrons were being invited to subscribe to the Show funds. Thornton Cleveleys Parks Department were invited to put on a display in the show marquee and Blackpool Parks Department were to put a display on the stage.

The first lecture was on October 20th and was a film show on Fruit Trees, Greenhouse Pests and Control. Thirty people were attended. Mr W H Crane was Chairman this year. The November lecture was on Bulbs and was attended by 24 people.

The 1954 AGM was held on February 30th and finished with a Hot Pot supper. Mr Ernest Lord was elected Chairman and Mrs E Hewitt, President.

The Show this year (1954) was on Wednesday and Thursday August 18th /19th and was the thirteenth annual show in the Lecture Hall and adjoining marquees. This year the Council wanted 1s-6d per table for the show; we needed 70 tables at 4′ x 2’6″ and the list of trophies now totalled 17. Members subs were 1/- The Trade Hut opened at 2pm on January 8th. Hire charges for the Lecture Hall were £1-11s-6d per day and the September lecture on Chrysanthemums was attended by 20 people.

TCHS- Show Programme 1954 — The 1954 Show Programme – Thirteenth Annual Exhibition of Horticulture, Arts and Crafts and Budgerigars

In 1955, Dr Houston was elected President at the AGM on December 7th and Mr J A Turner was elected Vice Chairman. In April of this year, Mr T. Croft and Mr F. Thornton were joint show Managers but by November Mr T G Triggs was to be show manager. The annual coach trip was to WEBB Nurseries, in Kendal.

Committee minutes from 1957 mentioned that a quotation for tables was £1-5s-0d per table. A committee trio were given £20 to spend. A subcommittee for arranging lectures was formed naturally called the ‘Lecture committee’. The figure to cover fees and sleeping accommodation was increased to £10. This year, members subs also increased to 2/-

Six lectures were arranged for between October and March 1958. In the December AGM, the rules of the society were formulated into 15 sections and a recognised constitution was approved. The show made £15 profit this year, and the Ladies committee were still holding Coffee Mornings to raise funds.

TCHS-Show Programme 1957 — TCHS Flower Show and Exhibition of Arts and Crafts, 1957

TCHS-Coffee Evening invitation — Invitation to a Coffee Evening in April 1957 organised by the TCHS Ladies Committee.

In the beginning – 1941- 1950

On the 5th of February 1941 at a public meeting held at the Ashdell Restaurant (located on Victoria Rd. near entrance to Marsh Mill) Councillor Hilton in the chair, proposed Thornton Cleveleys Allotment Holders & Gardeners Assoc. The proposal was accepted and the Society was born. The founding committee included President Cllr Hilton, Vice President Cllr Rowley, Secretary Mr Pearson, Treasurer Mr Turner.

It is believed that an allotment produce display was organised in 1941, unfortunately no minutes were kept of this event. The Association continued with the DIG FOR VICTORY theme, as part of the hugely successful propaganda campaign promoted by Churchill’s Ministry of Agriculture.

The year of 1943 saw the first record of the ‘T Ingle’ trophy being presented to Mr A Hodgkinson, for most points in the vegetable section. He went on to win the trophy for five consecutive years.

By 1945, The Association had by now obtained a list of trophies kindly donated by members; these included The Walker, Keirby, Eastwood, Ingle, Holt, Lumb, Merrill, Pavillion and Appleyard. A total value of £140.0.0 was recorded in the accounts.

In 1946, the Eastwood trophy first winner was Mr J Houghton.

In the year of 1947, there was a very bitter winter, causing all sorts of problems for the allotment holders. There is evidence of a HUT on the allotments, (now the Marsh Mill Shopping complex) where fertilisers and equipment were stored.

At the December 1948 AGM, The Society changed its name from the Thornton Cleveleys Allotment Holders & Gardeners Association to Thornton Cleveleys Horticultural Society.

By 1949, the trophy list had increased with The Oralite, Swarbrick, Houston, Hewitt, Gardener and Tolson trophies being in evidence. The total value £160.0.0. was recorded. There was no longer mention of the Merrill trophy.

1950 saw discussions underway, with the Thornton Borough Council, to resite the HUT. The Association wanted to move it to behind the now Little Theatre. However, it ended up on the Council land, opposite the garage, on Fleetwood Road. Below is a snippet of the balance sheet – note the trophies cost.