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A History of the Gloucestershire Federation of Gardening Societies

In March 1918, a County Pig and Potato Committee was formed to encourage the keeping of pigs, the use of spare or waste produce to feed the pigs and as amutual insurance against the loss of breeding and store pigs. A trust fund of £2,500 was established and the interest was used to further the aims of the member clubs. That Trust Fund, now in the name of the Federation, amounts to £10,000. This is a useful reserve! In 1918 they had a clerk on £2 a week and a typist on 17.6d (88p), with 25 clubs in membership.

1919 saw 94 clubs affiliated and in 1921 there were 63 pig clubs with 3214 pigs. In that year some 85 tons of potatoes were supplied to the clubs. However, in 1935, the number of clubs started to fall. The Committee looked at the problem and decided that changes to the way of life in the coutryside was to blame. The younger generation would not carry swill buckets down to the pig styes and did not want flitches hanging in the pantry.

1940 saw the need to increase food supplies, so the name was changed to The Gloucestershire Home Food Production Society. Membership was invited from other clubs and organisations working in the same field. The aim was to stimulate the growing of vegetables, the keeping of rabbits, poultry, pigs, bees etc., co-operative buying of feed and seeds and maintenance of the pig insurance scheme.

Lord Bledisloe in his inaugural address as chairman spoke of the real danger to food supplies and that it was up to the people to act, rather than waiting for the government. By June, 30 clubs had been formed and 1000 collections of seed was ordered from Suttons. April 1941 saw the number of clubs up to 120 and by 1942 there were 60 pig clubs and 19 rabbit clubs, 2000 collections of vegetable seeds were sold and 2400 collections distributed following a gift from the USA.

1942 to 1946 saw a continuation of the work and in March 1947 Mrs M C Bradley agreed to become Organising Secretary for 3 months, but she stayed until 1968!

In May 1963 the Executive Committee decided that the organisation should become more involved in horticulture and the name was changed once again, to the current title, but it took up to 1967 before all the details of the constitution were settled.

October 1969's AGM was held in the new assembly hall at the Gloucestershire College of Agriculture at Hartpury - the start of the long and fruitful association with the college that continues to this day.

From 1970 onwards, a number of activities have been tried to bring member societies closer together as a federation:

The Gardeners Gala was probably the most ambitious and for many years very successful. It combined a tabletop competition with intersociety and pot plant classes plus trade plant and sundries stalls. There was always intense interest in the plants offered by the college's horticultural department. The gala ran until 1999. Then, for three years, it was run in conjunction with the College Open Day until it was finished by the foot and mouth epidemic in 2002.
Inter Society Quiz Evenings were run for about three years with the final taking place at the Federation AGM at Hartpury College in October. The last final was at the AGM in 1988.
Rogation Sunday Event was hosted by a member society, mainly in village locations. It included a religious service, refreshments and gardens open to visitors. Many successful events were held.
Another similar event was the Garden Centre Evening, where a garden centre put on an evening of activities for us. The problem of having sufficient numbers attending to satisfy the host finally led to its demise.

The Federation was invited by the college 1980-1982 to encourage member societies to plant a Sposored Tree in the newly refurbished wood. Over 50 trees were planted by this scheme and most are still growing. The college still has a map of the planted trees and of the donors.

The Federation has given prizes for many years to the best horticultural students attending the College. This has recently been augmented by the Earl St Aldwyn Bursary for the best horticultural project submitted.

The Sale of Prize Cards was started to help member to have professionally printed cards at their own shows at minimum cost. It lasted some 30 years but was discontinued in 2004 due to the increasing use of home computers that could produce high quality printing.

The Federation became affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society in 1987. We were co-hosts to a joint RHS/Federation Forum held at Hartpury College, now the West of England University, when all known federations were invited to send delegates. 18 federations attended for a very successful forum. A further forum on judging standards , training methods and improved co-operation between the federations, specialist societies and the RHS was held in March 2005 at Shuttleworth College, to which we sent two representatives and a staff member. The revision of the RHS Show Handbook for 2006/7 was a main topic.

Also in 1987 the Federation decided to seek charity status and this was achieved in 1989. The constitution of the Federation was revised and received Charity Commission approval on November 4th 2004.

In 1998 the Guild of Judges was formed at a meeting in The Reddings Community Centre, Cheltenham. 18 members attended this meeting. The Guild is a sub committee of the Executive Committee and continues to flourish now with 30 members of both experienced and trainee judges. It is responsible for publishing the List of Judges.

We also publish a Speakers List for the use of members and it continues to expand on a regular basis. The list is available from the secretary.

We also have some photos of the First Gardener’s Gala, that was held at Hartpury College on Saturday July 15th 1974. This gala was sponsored by the GFGS. Follow this link for more.