The Malton Gala
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Woodhams Stone Collection Trust Education Sheet No. 33 The Malton Gala ©British Library NEWS6512 Malton Messenger, 15 July 1871 ©British Library, Malton Messenger, 21 July 1900 This was a prominent summer entertainment in continued to be held there until 1879 when it Malton. At its core was a flower and vegetable show moved to the Orchard Field. with prizes. This was augmented from time to time The following is a transcript of an article with a band competition, balloon ascents; open-air summarising its fifty years’ history that appeared in concert, military entertainment, athletics and the Malton Messenger, 17 July 1909. poultry show. The first Gala was held in the grounds of the Lodge on Wednesday, August 31st, 1859. It The Malton Gala Copyright ©2020 Woodhams Stone Collection Trust 1 Time was when Malton had three flower was elected president. Captain shows a year – its spring, summer, and autumn Copperthwaite, Mr (now Sir) C.W. Strickland shows, all held in the Assembly Room. The and the Rev. W. Carter, vice-presidents; Mr society that carried these on lasted several john Smith, of the York Union Bank, treasurer; years, and then, like most other things, came and Mr Edward Taylor (florist and seedsman) to an end. It lasted, we believe, from 1837 to secretary, with the assistance of the late Mr 1848. The late Mr John Slater had a good deal John Marshall (for the musical department). to do with the management of this society and The first show was fixed for Wednesday, its shows, which for a time flourished well. August 31st, but no site was then agreed upon, Then in 1855, when the Yorkshire Agricultural it being left for further consideration whether Show was held at Malton (the first time here), it should be held in a tent or in a room. It was a flower show was got up and held in the Lodge afterwards decided to hold it in the Lodge Grounds. The Yorkshire Show was held in the Grounds, by permission of Captain Orchard Field, and admission to the flower Copperthwaite – and there it continued to be show was through a door in the wall straight held until 1879, when the Hon H.W. and Lady out of the showyard. Mr M.B. Slater was the Mary Fitzwilliam having come to reside at the secretary that time, and the show was quite a Lodge, the grounds themselves were success, a nice balance being left. somewhat altered, more flower beds, &c., being laid out, and there was no room for the In 1859 an attempt was being made to unite Gala, which from that time has been held in Malton with the Ryedale and Pickering the adjoining Orchard Field. Agricultural Society, but that failed. A meeting with that object had been held on Saturday, THE FIRST GALA February 26th, 1859, and on the Monday night after, a meeting was held to consider the Was held, as above stated, on Wednesday, resuscitation of the Floral and Horticultural August 31st, 1859, and from the report of it in Society. Promises of support came in from the the Messenger of the 3rd September that year Hon. C.W.W. Fitzwilliam and Mr James Brown, it appears a lot of rain had fallen in the the M.P.’s for the borough, as well as from morning, but it began to clear up about noon, Lord Feversham, Col. Duncombe, the Rev. and from two o’clock it was tolerably fine for Chas. Hall (Terrington), the Rev. W. Carter the remainder of the day, and about 2,000 (Slingsby), the Rev. T.H. Croft (Hutton Buscel), people were present. the Rev F.W. Douglas (Scrayingham) and others. A band contest was held that year, and five bands had entered – Saltaire, Malton and There was already a Horticultural Society Norton Saxhorn, Malton United, Whitby Cliff, which held its shows alternately at Helmsley, and Loftouse. The first prize went to Saltaire, Kirbymoorside, and Hovingham, which held its second to Malton and Norton Saxhorn, third to second annual meeting in April, 1859, and its Whitby, fourth to Malton United, and fifth to third show at Hovingham in August; York Gala Lofthouse. had just got established, Driffield had that year its sixth floral and poultry show, and Coxwold also had its flower show. The first general meeting of the Malton Society was held at the literary Institute on Monday evening, May 23rd, 1859, and Earl Fitzwilliam The Malton Gala Copyright ©2020 Woodhams Stone Collection Trust 2 A list of the principal exhibitors at the first gala Wright, gardener to the Archbishop of York, will be of interest. They were given in the and Mr Morrison, gardener to Sir Wm. Milner, Messenger as follows:- Bart., of Nun Appleton. Fruit and vegetables – Gardener Mr Potts, gardener to Sir Tatton Sykes, Bart., General Norcliffe, Langton George Agar Sledmere; and Mr Craig, York. Cottagers’ H.B. Darley, Esq. Aldby Park R. Reed Sir W. Worsley, Bart, Hovingham J. Featherstone Produce – Mr Hawkins, gardener to Lord Sir E.H. Lechmere, Bart, Whitwell J. Cowburn Middleton, Birdsall; and Mr john Coates, Robert Bower, Esq., Welham John Coates Capt. Overston, Moorby Hall Thos. Rogers gardener to Robert Bower, Esq., Welham. Rev. C. Hall, Terrington W. Hemmings Rev. E. Trueman, Grimston J. Cotson Lord Middleton, Birdsall J. Hawkins At the annual meeting in 1860, the report Miss Starkey, Hutton Geo. Brodie stated that there were 140 members, that L. Thompson, esq., Sheriff Hutton J. Pallister W.C. Copperthwaite, Esq., Malton J. Reed there had been 85 exhibitors at the show, and R Wise, Esq., Auburn Hill Henry Wragg that 2,000 people were present. The prize Thos Walker, Esq., Old Malton Thomas Ward Hirst Walker, Esq., Norton Grange J. Richardson money paid was £44 12s 6d, and there was a Henry Jackson, Esq., Malton M. Hildreth balance in hand of £17 3s 5d. Mr T. Wray and J.S. Sigston, Esq., Malton J. Greenwood Mr G Barnby, jun., were then appointed Messrs G. Longster, Malton; W. Lovel, secretaries. Next year Mr Wray’s name was helperthorpe; Goodwin, York; Robt. Stabler, the only one that appeared, and he continued Malton; Geo. Houlton, York; Charles Walker, the secretaryship till 1903, when he resigned Malton; James Horsley, Norton; W.T. Colby, owing to age, and was succeeded by Mr W. Malton; J. Johnson, Fridaythorpe; F. Mitchell, Barker, who still holds the office. Mr Wray had Grimston; Hought, Hull; Geo. Harrison, Hull; previously had the assistance of Mr Walter Lotherington, Hull; A. Simpson, Malton; J. Stubbs, Mr D.J. Wilson, and Mr Barker in a few Bearbank, Cottingham; J.W. Jordan, Eastburn; preceding years; and his son, Mr G.W. Wray, Joseph Williamson, Driffield; George Pinkney, had done a great deal of the work in Mr Wray’s Whitewall; W. Lucas, Malton; John Battle, last year of office. At the show of 1903 Mr Ganton; John Hopkins, Malton; John Smith, Wray was too ill to attend, and his place was Normanby; W. Beadnell, Helmsley; George taken by his son, with the assistance of Mr Craig, Helmsley; John Taylor, Scagglethorpe; Barker. The latter gentleman was elected Geo. Ickes, Halton; Michael Rogers, Rufforth, secretary at the annual meeting on the 21st C. Monkman, Malton. October 1903. He had been associated with the society in one way and another for 20 From this it would appear that Dr W.T. Colby is years. the only gentleman living who exhibited at our first gala. He seems to have taken no prizes on LIST OF PRESIDENTS that occasion, but since then he has frequently been in the winning list. Once he took a prize The presidents since the formation of the with some lapstone potatoes, and somebody society have been as follows:- stole them, but that was not the last he saw of 1859 Earl Fitzwilliam 1885 Rev. EAB Pitman them, for some time afterwards, attending a 1860 Lord Feversham 1886 Capt. CJ Russell patient at Welburn, he was presented with 1861 Hon CWW Fitzwilliam, 1887 Mr Wm. I’Anson some potatoes of a new variety, grown as MP 1888 Mr HW Pearson 1862 Lord Middleton 1889 Mr R Metcalfe seedlings from his own stolen prize-winners. 1863 Col St Quintin 1890 Mr R Metcalfe 1864 Mr James Brown, MP 1891 Lieut-Col JD Legard The names of most of the exhibitors named 1865 Mr RH Bower, JP 1892 Sir WC Worsley, Bart 1866 Capt Copperthwaite 1893 Mr HD Harrison above appeared in the prize list of 1859. The 1867 Lieut-Col Haworth 1894 Mr W Bethell, JP judges that year were:- Plants and flowers – Mr 1868 Earl Fitzwilliam 1895 Mr Robt. Boulton The Malton Gala Copyright ©2020 Woodhams Stone Collection Trust 3 1869 Sir G.O. Wombwell 1896 Major CJ Russell 1870 Mr HC Manisty, QC 1897 Mr WS Sprent 1871 Mr EV Harcourt, JP 1898 Mr Gervase Markham In 1887, Mr Whelan, of Huddersfield, was 1872 No Show 1899 Mr Wm. I’Anson engaged to make the balloon ascent, and Mr 1873 Hon E Willoughby 1900 Mr HW Pearson Charles King, Malton, went with him. They 1874 Capt Copperthwaite 1901 Mr WW Lupton, JP 1875 Mr Joseph Marshall, JP 1902 Dr WT Colby, JP descended at Burnby, near Pocklington. In 1876 Mr WH St Quintin, JP 1903 Mr J Grant Lawson, MP 1888, Mr Whelan went up again, taking with 1877 Capt CJ Russell 1904 Earl Fitzwilliam him Mr M. F. W Williamson & Mr Harold Baker, 1878 Mr Wm I’Anson 1905 Captain Behrens 1879 Mr T Preston 1906 Viscount Helmsley, MP of Malton. They came down at Harton, near 1880 Hon HW Fitzwilliam 1907 Mr WH St Quintin Barton-le-Willows.