6 INTRODUCTION 



West Herefordshire, Ipswich, March, Monmouth, Moreton- 

 Hampstead, Maidstone, Martock, North Walsham, New- 

 castle-on-Tyne, Norton (Sheffield), Great Oakley, 1840 : 

 Peterborough, Probus (Cornwall). Richmond (Yorks), 1841 : 

 Stowmarket, Wenlock, Winchester, Wrentham, 1839 ; Win- 

 frith, Wingerworth, Wakefield, Weald of Kent, 1846 ; 

 Yoxford (Suffolk), 1838. 



Many of these Clubs are now defunct, and it is doubtful 

 if any of them have a continuous history up to date, with 

 the exception of Newcastle-on-Tyne and Winfrith. The 

 W T eald of Kent Club of to-day only started in 1911, and the 

 present Maidstone Farmers' Club only claims to date back 

 to 1850. 



The Farmers' Club was founded in 1841-2 under the title 

 of "The British Farmers' Club." Its objects were : (1) 

 " To enable persons interested in agricultural pursuits to meet 

 together and converse upon and discuss subjects of practical 

 utility, and (2) to be a central body which might represent 

 local farmers' clubs, and to which they might be affiliated."' 

 In 1844 it was agreed that no political subject should be 

 debated, but in. 1849 a resolution was adopted suggesting the 

 repeal of the "Malt and Hop Tax," and "the revision of 

 local charges unjustly bearing upon the farming interests." At 

 one of their debates, in December, 1853, a paper was read by 

 Mr. G. H. Ramsey (Vice-President of the Newcastle Farmers' 

 Club) "On the Advantages of a Central Farmers' Club." 

 in which he strongly urged the desirability of union 

 between all the Farmers' Clubs in the country. He even used 

 the term " Chamber of Agriculture " and was thus in all 

 probability the first to suggest the establishment of the 

 Chambers. At the conclusion of the discussion on Mr. 

 Ramsey's paper the resolution was unanimously carried : 

 " This meeting is of opinion that the London Farmers' Club 

 should act as the Central Farmers' Club of the kingdom." 

 Some effort was made to give effect to this resolution, and 

 communications had previously taken place between this 

 central and local Clubs in regard to affiliation, but apparently 

 without much success. Mr. S. B. L. Druce (Secretary of 



