FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



outside the area of the war, and any thought for 

 them was relegated to a time of less stress and 

 strain in other directions. 



In the course of a few weeks it began to be 

 realized that, whether the war was destined to 

 be long or short, there was no immediate danger 

 of the country being defeated by force of arms, 

 or thanks to the British Fleet starved into 

 submission. Men's minds then began to be 

 directed to the question as to how far the current 

 of ordinary life should be deflected on account of 

 the war, and those responsible for the conduct 

 of the Society had to consider whether or not, 

 under prevailing circumstances, it was either 

 practicable or desirable to hold a show in 1915. 

 After careful consideration of all the circumstances, 

 the Society's Council resolved that in the best 

 interests of agriculture it was desirable that the 

 1915 show should be held as previously arranged 

 at Worcester, though this decision was only 

 earned by the casting vote of the chairman at the 

 meeting at which the subject was discussed. 



The decision thus arrived at was endorsed by 

 the Board of Agriculture and agriculturists gener- 

 ally, whilst a most gratifying circumstance to all 

 concerned was the support of the show by the 

 King, who made a larger number of entries than 

 he had done at any previous Bath and West 

 Show. They included horses, cattle, and sheep, 

 and were from both the Royal farms at Windsor 

 and Sandringham. In addition to this, a few 

 days before the show opened, his Majesty was 

 graciously pleased to honour the Society by 

 becoming a Life Governor, and causing a cheque 



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