FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



where, says the local Press, " an elegant entertain- 

 ment was provided, to which the Earl of Ailesbury 

 (the President) sent a remarkably fine doe, and 

 the utmost harmony and good humour prevailed." 

 No doubt the assembled company re-echoed Gold- 

 smith's expression of gratitude when he wrote : 



" Thanks, my lord, for your venison, for finer or fatter 

 Ne'er ranged in a forest, or smok'd on a platter." 



The success of the initiatory function was 

 sufficient to justify a place being reserved in the 

 Society's programme for many future annual 

 dinners. 



The Society has survived many institutions, 

 including the old White Hart Inn, which, in 1867, 

 was demolished, in order to make way for the 

 Grand Pump Room Hotel, the Society's head- 

 quarters during the shows at Bath in 1877, 1891 

 and 1900. 



A survival of the annual dinner is to be found 

 in the Council and Stewards' Mess Dinner, which 

 is, and has been for many years, held on a few 

 nights before and during the whole of the show 

 week at the Society's headquarters in the par- 

 ticular town in which the show happens to be 

 held. Here the Society's active spirits foregather, 

 and a very cheery function they make of it. 

 When the fathers, in response to the summons 

 which brooks no denial, have dropped out, the 

 sons have oft-times succeeded to the vacant 

 places, ready and willing to carry on the old 

 traditions in the same blithesome spirit as afore- 

 time. With few exceptions, the members of the 

 Mess are country-side folk, and both branches 

 of the legislature will be found represented at it, 



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