74 



HISTORY OF H E K E F R D C A T T L E 



CHAPTER YIII. 



The Smithfield Club; National Show 



The reeoixls of the Smithtiekl Chib are mat- 

 ters of history, that record the first authentic 

 victories of the Hereford cattk\ The character 

 of this great national society, the nature and 

 importance of its exliibits, are important, as 

 for over one hundred years they have been the 

 court of last resort for exhibitors of the meat 

 producing animals of Great Britain. Cattle 

 of all breeds and erosses were shown in one gen- 

 eral class, as fat cattle, before this society until 

 the year 1852, when the several breeds were sep- 

 arated and shown by themselves. 



"The Annals of Agriculture" contain an ac- 

 count of the formation of this club, by the 

 Smithfield Cattle and Sheep Society, by common 

 agreement, December 17tli, 17;>8, being the 

 market day before Christmas. The Duke of 

 Bedford in the chair. 



"We, the underwritten, do hereby agree to 

 institute a society open to all subscribers, to 

 the premiums hereafter mentioned, and subject 

 to such conditions as should be agreed upon by 

 a committee to be named this evening. The 

 subscriptions, 10s (id ($3.63), each to be paid 

 immediately." (U 62) 



Thirty-seven persons subscribed, and paid 

 their initiation fees, agreeing that Mr. Arthur 

 Young be empowered to receive other subscrib- 

 ers, and that eacii candidate for a prize should 

 give Mr. Young one month's previous notice; 

 then Mr. Young should inform the candidate 

 of the time and place of showing. That it is 

 the intention of the present committee to give 

 premiums to the best beasts fed on grass, hay, 

 turnips or cabbage; and to the best fed on corn 

 or oil cakes. The meeting then adjourned to 

 the Duke of Bedford's Sheep Shearing at Wo- 

 burn, the 17th of June next. 



Expenses of the first show in 1799 were ,£101 

 (.-fSOS). Receipts were £100 ($500). 



The following extracts from the minutes of 

 tlie Smithfield Club from its organization show 

 the splendid work of this most powerful of fac- 

 tors in the encouragement of British breeds of 

 live stock. 



1798. At a meeting of the agriculturists 



held DeeemL)er 17tli, 1798 (being Smithfield's 

 great market day), the "Smithfield Cattle and 

 Sheep Society" was founded by mutual consent. 

 Present : Francis, Duke of Bedford, in the 

 chair; Mr. J. W. Wilkes, of Measham, the orig- 

 inal proposer, and twenty-nine others, includ- 

 ing Lord Somerville, John Hennet, the Earl 

 of \A'inclielsea, John Westcar, Richard Astley, 

 John Ellnian, Arthur Young, etc.; subscrip- 

 tions 10s Od each. Eight other names were 

 added later m the day, including Sir Joseph 

 Banks. 



A committee was appointed, who decided to 

 offer premiums for the best beast above a stated 

 weight, and fed on grass, hay, turnips, or cab- 

 bages ; also for the best beast fed on corn or oil 

 cake ; for the best sheep fed on hay, grass, tur- 

 nips, or cabbages; or for the best sheep fed on 

 corn or cake. 



Arthur Young, Esq., was requested to re- 

 ceive subscriptions. 



1799. The first show was held at Wooton's 

 livery stables (The Dolphin Yard), Smithfield. 

 The three days' admission money to this show 

 amounted to £10, 3s ($300.75). " The first din- 

 ner of the subscribers took place at the I'rown 

 and Anchor Tavern, on the Friday previous to 

 the Christmas market. The following account 

 is given of some of the animals ; 



"The largest sheep were of the true old Glou- 

 cester breed (Cotswolds), bred by Mr. Haim-s 

 and grazed by Mr. Poulton — 6 ft. 5^ in. in 

 girth, 37 in. across the back, 33 in. over the 

 shoulders and stood only 3(i in. high. 



"A Hereford bullock fed by Mr. Grace, of 

 Buckinghamshire, 7 ft. high, "weighed upward 

 of 3(iO stone (3,031 lbs.) and measured in girtli 

 13 ft. 4 in. Mr. Westcar's champion bullock 

 (Hereford), which sold for 100 guineas, was 8 

 ft. 11 in. long, fl. 7 in. high and 10 ft. 4 in. 

 around the girth." [We have given a picture 

 of this, the Tully ox, in a preceding chaiiter. 

 T. L. M.| ' ' 



Anuuig the winners with Herefords were Mr. 

 Westcar, the Duke of Bedford, Mr. Edmonds, 

 and Mr. John EUman ; the latter "for the best 



