CHAPTER
3
THE PUBLIC HALL, A NEW VENUE
In 1900 there was a further change of venue following
the opening of the new West Kilbride Institute and Public
Hall. and the West Kilbride Horticultural Society's annual
Summer Flower Show has been held there ever since, the
first show being on Wednesday 29th. August 1900 The opening
of this new building is described in Appendix 3 with its
location shown on the Map.
Society Organisation - 1898 - 1913
A Minute Book of the Society is in existence covering the
period from 1898 to 1913 and yields valuable information
on the Society's activities to supplement the press reports.
There was a Committee of 9, a Secretary and a Treasurer
, these 2 offices sometimes being combined. There was
also a subscription collector, paid £1 for the
first £8 of monies brought in, plus 1/- in the £ thereafter.
Secretary and Treasurer received small annual honorariums.
There seemed to be various Honorary Offices e.g.
President, sometimes also Honorary president, and Honorary
Treasurer. Organisation of affairs was largely in the hands
of the Vice-president, acting with the Committee. From
1898 until 1906 the V-P was Mr. J.K. Currie, a founding
member of the Society pre-1869; from 1907 till 1909 he
was assisted by R.Jack who took over in 1910 following
Mr. Currie's death. J.K.Currie's son, Mr.A.Currie, was
Secretary from 1898 till 1907, to be followed by D.Brown
in 1908, H.Millar in 1909 and then Thos. Wilson in 1910,
the latter combining the Treasurership as well.
The Committee met some four times each year and there was
also an Annual General Meeting. Things could get a little
heated at Committee Meetings, particularly in 1901 when
it was decided by majority vote, to impose certain fines
- 3d. for late entries, 3d. for entries not exhibited.
The 1900 AGM received a letter of complaint from a member
intimating that "unless the committee were going
to stop competitors from showing stuff they did not grow
he was going to withdraw his name from the Society".
The letter lay on the table and nothing further is recorded.
In 1908 at a special meeting called by the Treasurer,
the Secretary arrived late and claimed that the meeting
was unconstitutional as it had not been properly called
and he had not been notified. The Chairman (The VP) pointed
out that the Constitution allowed for any five members
to call a meeting without necessarily notifying the Secretary,
who demurred at this. However, he was instructed to go
home and come back with the Minute Book, which he did,
and business appeared to proceed from then, more or less
normally. This was not the end of the matter, however,
and it all started again at the next Committee meeting.
After perusal of the Constitution the Chairman ruled
that the previous meeting had been irregularly called
and in theory the business transacted was void. Sweetness
and light, however, were the order of the day and it
was agreed not to press the matter further, to treat
the business which had been done as fully constitutional,
and to have a list of dates for committee meetings arranged
in advance.
Sources of Society finance appeared to be much as at present
with membership subscriptions (gathered in by a paid
Collector) supplemented by Show admission charges and
occasional donations. AGM Minutes show a small annual
surplus most of the time though there were deficits in
1907 and 1908, of 19/- and £2/11/6 respectively,
forcing prize money payout to be restricted in 1907.
From then until closure in 1913 there appeared to be
little surplus though it is reported that in December
1913 after all payments had been made the Treasurer was
left with a balance in the Bank of £1/-/- and eightpence
in the petty cash.
Flower Shows 1898 - 1913
During these years the annual Summer
Show was generally held in the last week in August, usually
on a Wednesday,
but sometimes on a Friday; Saturday was not deemed to be
a suitable Show day. The Show was held in the School until
1899, thereafter in the new Public Hall. The hire charge
levied by the Hall Management was £1/-/-, the cost
of gas being extra. If the hall was used on the evening
before the Show for "fitting up" the only extra
charge was for gas used. This "fitting-up" was
contracted out to a local joiner, the cost for this service
in 1905 being £2/5/-
Judges and stewards Usually 4 - 5 judges, selected from
local and neighbouring gardeners.; those for 1903 were
-
John Nugent, Glenfoot; Robt. Sellars, Kilmarnock; Willie
Dingwall, Ardrossan; Richard Anderson, Saltcoats. It
was the Secretary's job to write to possible judges each
year to secure their services. Stewards. usually 4 in
number, were members of Committee.
Classes and prizes
One Committee meeting each year was devoted to setting
out the Prize Lists and Classes. The Society provided prize
monies, sometimes reduced if finances were low, as in 1907.
There were also Special Prizes or Medals donated by individuals
or Traders; the firms of Samsons and Toogood are mentioned.
Schedules and Printing Schedules
Prize cards etc were purchased each year on a competitive
basis from print shops, usually in the village. A typical
printing order, for 1899, reads - 200 Prize lists, 2000
envelopes, Minute Book, Entry Book, 200 postcards, 300
postcards printed, 50 members tickets, 200 admission tickets,
100 Honorary tickets,50 Bills, 50 Hand bills, 260 Prize
tickets, 1 pkt. writing paper and envelopes. There would
also be 300 Schedules to be purchased.
Other matters
Music
A Quadrille Band was frequently engaged to provide background
music during the Show and perhaps for evening entertainment.
Opener
From time to time an Official Show Opener was secured,
usually from one of the local great houses.
End of this period, 1913-1914
At times committee meetings were poorly
attended and there was difficulty in filling vacancies;
public support appeared
to be lacking. Show reports at this time seemed to suggest
that the event continued to run well and be well attended,
though the 1913 review, having stated that "there
was put forward an exceptionally fine display in all classes
of flowers, fruit and vegetables,...the exhibition was
neatly arranged ...there was a most effective addition
to the Show in the form of an exhibit kindly lent by Mrs.
Millar of the Meadows, comprising pot plants and hot-house
fruits....went on to say that the only weak spot in the
show was the absence of very strenuous competition in the
amateur section. The prize list shows that there were 40
classes in the amateur department with just 9 names as
prizewinners. At the 1913 AGM the Committee agreed not
to hold a show in 1914 "owing to lack of interest
taken in it by the public and also for want of competitors".
In any case the Great War intervened and nothing more was
heard of the Society until 1934.
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