117 years old and still going strong!

That was the news being celebrated by members of Bridgwater Flower Show Society after months of research confirmed that the popular Show was indeed started the year that Thomas Edison patented the radio and Queen Victoria reigned supreme.

A letter to the Bridgwater Mercury by Wembdon resident James Ware sparked off an inaugural meeting hosted by the Town’s Mayor Mr H. Knight and the first Bridgwater Flower Show took place in August 1891. Traders in the town joined in the celebrations by closing their establishments early, and they also responded to a request from the Mayor to display bunting over their premises to celebrate the event.

A total of 1050 entries were received for the Show, held in a field alongside Taunton Road, and visitors attended from far and wide, many arriving on trains from Bridgwater Station. The day, however, was marred by ‘severe inclemency of the weather’ as a heavy downpour continued throughout the afternoon. The following year saw a great improvement on the weather and one of the attractions was the entry of a collection of 220lbs of honey and three hives containing living bees!

We are indebted to Paul Besley for all his research on this project. He has spent several months tracking down this all-important date for us, using a number of facilities including records in Bridgwater Museum and the Library, as well as going through a good number of old Bridgwater Mercury issues in the archives of their Clarence House offices.

Bridgwater Flower Show has seen many changes over the years but several of the town’s older residents still clearly remember the Show being held in Blake Gardens, when marching bands paraded through the town to congregate in the Gardens. Several of the trophies awarded to the winning bands are now held in Bridgwater's Blake Museum as a lasting tribute to a little-known part of the Town’s history. 

The date will now be inaugurated in the Society’s records and work has begun on a book about Bridgwater’s horticultural history.

We would like to hear from anyone with memories of past Bridgwater Flower Shows.