Sir Jacob Wilson. 
6 
the footsteps of every Metropolitan Meeting was particularly 
in evidence. The Showyard covered upwards of 100 acres, and 
no pains had been spared to make the exhibition a record success, 
but unfortunately the elements proved unpropitious. Rain fell 
for days previously, and the ground, which was on heavy clay, 
became a veritable quagmire. In several cases heavy engines 
foundered in the deep ground and were unable to reach their 
stands, presenting a truly pitiable spectacle as they lay half 
buried in the mud throughout the week. 
The first day of the Show (Monday) was fine and raised 
hopes which were all too soon to be dashed to the ground, 
as -rain set in again at night and continued until the end of 
the week. What man could do to avert disaster was done by 
Mr. Wilson, ably assisted by his loyal staff, who Avorked 
day and night in their endeavour to combat the elements ; 
but, as was only to be expected, the public declined to face the 
uncomfortable conditions in the requisite numbers ; so that 
the attendance, although reaching the large total of 187,323, was 
not proportionate to the magnitude of the enterprise and the 
expenses incurred, and the Show resulted in the heaviest loss 
the Society has ever had to bear, the deficiency amounting to 
about 15,000/. Serious as this result was, it might have been 
much worse had it not been for Mr. Wilson’s great energy and 
extraordinary powers of resource, and the members of the Royal 
Agricultural Society had never greater reason to be proud of 
' their Honorary Director than on this occasion. 
Probably the Show that is best remembered and that 
created the greatest interest during the period of Mr. Wilson’s 
Honorary Directorship was the Windsor Meeting of 1889. In 
this year the Royal Agricultural Society attained its jubilee, 
and special efforts were made to ensure that the Meeting should 
be worthy of the occasion. Her Majesty Queen Victoria 
graciously filled the office of President for the year and showed 
her deep interest in the welfare of the Society not only by 
allowing the Show to be held in her park at Windsor, but 
by being herself a large exhibitor of stock, and by paying no 
less than three visits to the Showyard. 
Mr. Wilson received a command to attend the Royal dinner 
party at Windsor Castle on the evening of the concluding day 
of the Show, and had the honour of Knighthood conferred 
upon him by Her Majesty, in recognition of his great services 
to agriculture and to the Society. Gratifying as this signal 
mark of his Queen’s favour must have been to Sir Jacob 
Wilson, it was no less gratifying to his innumerable friends and 
to his colleagues on the Council and Executive of the “ Royal,” 
who one and all felt that never had honour been more 
deservedly bestowed. 
