On Saturday 10th August, Crafthole, a tiny village on the south coast of Cornwall, staged its annual Flower and Vegetable Show in the local village hall. The summer flower and produce show has been a traditional part of British village life since the 18th century. Photographer Jim Grover discovered a story of community, competition, hidden talents, winners, and dashed hopes, as well as a tradition under threat.
The show has been an annual event since 1941 and is a big day for the local community. This year 35 entrants (you can meet some of them, and read their stories, by clicking here) entered 266 exhibits across 85 classes, including cookery, handicrafts and art. 26 trophies are at stake including the most sought after, the Champion’s Cup, for the most points in the show.
Click the first image to open each gallery.
Adults pay 20p per exhibition entry, reducing to 10p for each entry after 15; for children entry is free. Rosalie Dunn, Treasurer of this year’s show, observed: “Sadly, the children’s classes are slightly down on what they used to be…Covid has a lot to do with it. To see their faces when their name is called out…and they have to come up to receive their prize in front of everyone…is what makes it all worthwhile.”
The future of the traditional village show is less assured. Ricky Hoskin, who judged the produce section and is a National Vegetable Judge told me: “I used to judge 16 shows a year. Because of the pandemic a lot have folded…now I am doing around 8. I feel really sad about that.”
For some entrants it’s a serious undertaking, entering 20 different classes or more, and there’s some serious competition! Once the names of her chosen winners had been revealed to Fiona Harvey, the bread judge, she joked, half seriously, “Now I know who to avoid around the villages over the next few days!”. One villager was totting up how she had fared: “My husband and I are very competitive against each other! He’s won some and I’ve won some. But who is the winner? Just about me!”
Some categories are heavily contested; 13 hydrangea heads battled it out for the first prize certificate. In contrast the George Penfound cup for the best marrow went to the lone exhibit. The judges leave encouraging comments with the certificates and exhibits. “It’s a lot of pressure”, observed the judge of the flower section, “They are obviously proud of their flowers…they are lovely.”
Show rules are strictly adhered to. Royal Horticultural Society rules are applied to all the cut flowers, fruit and vegetable classes, and Women’s Institute rules to the cookery, preserves and drinks classes. Tomatoes have to pass through a 35mm ring and Victoria Sandwich cakes have to be filled with seedless raspberry jam and covered with caster sugar. Some exhibitors’ hopes were dashed as they discovered, too late, that they had inadvertently fallen foul of the show rules: Robert Bushrod, who would go on to win the Champion’s Cup, wasn’t allowed to exhibit his beautifully tied shallots as he had not entered them on application form; Lynn Vickery had failed to list an ingredient for her yeast buns, ruling out her entry.
There’s a lovely community feel to the afternoon when the doors are thrown open at 1.45pm and exhibitors and visitors alike can view the various displays. Lyn was walking around the show making a video for her grandchildren who live in Indiana, USA: “They don’t get to experience anything like this…I think it’s important to know this…and about Britain. I always love it…it’s always fascinating to see what people have put their time into.”
The tea-room quickly filled with the sound of laughter and locals catching up with each other over a cup of tea and home-made cakes before they all gathered for the awards ceremony.
Mel Parry, the Chair of this year’s show reflected: “We’ll be doing it again next year…I think! It’s hard work but it’s worth it.”