In August 1911 the Vale of White Horse Hunts Agricultural Braydon Show and the Purton Horticultural Show were held together “in a Field Close to Purton Church,” by kind permission of Miss Russell.

Classes were Half-Bred Horses and Turn Outs, Agricultural Horses, Cattle, Jumping, Poultry, Dead Poultry and Eggs, Butter and Cheese and Honey and Bread. Two additional classes for Butter Making were held in a working dairy on the Show Ground with a winning prize of £4. Classes were only open to tenant farmers and farmers farming their own land, cottagers and allotment holders (and their families) within the Vale of White Horse Hunts area. The schedule and entry forms for Purton Horticultural Show were available from E J Webber, Hon Secretary, Harford House, Purton, but unfortunately the museum does not have a copy.

Luncheon and teas were provided by Mr Thomas Wilding and in the afternoon Territorial Sports involved a Section Hurdle Race, Musical Chairs and a Weight Guessing Competition. In the evening the Regimental Band of the Royal Wilts Yeomanry performed on the Show Ground until 9.30pm.

The programme for this event is on display as part of the Purton at Leisure Exhibition which ends when the museum closes for the winter at the end of October.  The museum will reopen in April 2024 with a new exhibition.

Purton Museum is open on Saturdays from 10.00am to 12.30pm and admission is free.

If anyone would like to volunteer as a museum steward, please get in touch. 

Lucy Lewis