LANDMARK: Mirfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society Show; MIRFIELD in the 1960s

MIRFIELD Agricultural and Horticultural Society Showwas, and is, amajor event in the town's calendar.

In the 1950s and 1960s it could expect to pull a crowd of 5,000-plus, and more on a dry day.

Sadly, as one observer remarked in 1962, that year's show was the first one since 1954 that hadn't had anything like decent weather.

Two of the most popular events were show-jumping and the gymkhana, but there were many side attractions, including displays by the Army. The machine gun in this 1960 picture is certainly interesting local Scouts.

Whatever the weather, some people were determined to enjoy themselves. Mr and Mrs F Dawson, Mr and Mrs J M Pope and their four-year-old daughter Hilary were two such families, who decided to have a picnic in the rain in 1960 and to smile about it too.

For some years the show was held at Eastthorpe Farm, the home of John Thwaite, whose son-in-law Peter Brooke was the show secretary.

CAPTION(S):

PONY EXPRESS: The gymkhana at Mirfield Show in July 1961 (Kirklees ref: ke14145, Examiner ref: 61-0000); TAKE A BREAK: The Dawson and Pope families have a picnic at Mirfield Show in July 1962 (Kirklees ref: ke17530, Examiner ref: 62-2868)

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