September 3, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
207 
done so much to foster the higher and extended cultivation of 
plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables, will be enabled by wealthy 
and public-spirited citizens to rise, phoenix-like, from its ashes, and 
continue to exert its good influence in future years. The follow¬ 
ing report of the gale and destruction is taken from the Newcastle 
Chronicle :— 
“ This morning : (Wednesday, 2Gth August) the tents in the Leazes 
Park, in which the annual Exhibition of the Newcastle Flower Show 
was to have been opened, were blown to the ground during the gale of 
wind which prevailed during the early hours of the day. A meeting of 
the Council was subsequently held, and after some discussion it was 
decided to abandon the autumn Show for this year. This will doubtless 
be a great disappointment to the many thousands who annually visit 
this Show, which has been increasing in popularity year by year. The 
Committee had no option but to decide as they have done. A visitor to 
the Park this morning at ten o’clock would have failed to find the huge 
marquees which, it was hoped, would by that time be covering the beauti¬ 
ful flowers and plants usually forwarded to the Show from all parts of the 
northern district. At that time, on the immediate spot on which the 
Show usually stands, only a number of pegs of wood driven into the 
ground, broken and whole tent poles, pieces of canvas rolled up, and 
broken ropes and electric wires were to be seen. The Exhibition ground 
this year was prepared on a different plan from that of previous years. 
It was of quadrangular shape, and the Committee anticipated that they 
would have been able to show the plants, flowers, and fruit to greater 
advantage than heretofore. All the arrangements were completed—the 
engine and electric apparatus laid, the fireworks erected below the 
bandstand, the tents put up, the tables put together, the refreshment 
tent all ready, and the bands engaged. Many of the large coniferous 
plants had been placed on the stands last night. The valuable smaller 
plants and specimens of fruit and flowers are usually placed in position 
between 9 and 10 o’clock on the morning of the opening day, and thus 
the tents were not filled with the exhibits when they collapsed. The 
park keeper, Mr. John Wilson, informs us that a terrific gale blew 
shortly after five o’clock, and, fearing that damage would be done to the 
tents, he proceeded to the spot, only to find his fears realised. 
“ The tents were erected in the usual place at the west end of the 
park. This spot is the most elevated in the district, and being an open 
space, is subject to winds from every direction of the compass. The 
wind blew with great force from the west. This portion of the park is 
exposed to this wind, particularly as the ground is higher than the 
house-tops lying to the westward of the park. Mr. Wilson found the 
tents lying slightly to the east, many of the pegs being torn up, and 
some of the ropes being snapped. Two policemen and one or two of the 
park men were doing their utmost to keep the tents from going over 
altogether, by driving in extra pegs of wood and by placing here and 
there extra rope supports. The park keeper, fearing that even these 
efforts would prove of no avail in keeping the marquees up, very wisely 
gave orders to have all the large plants laid flat on the ground, so that 
in the event of a collapse of the tents they would sustain little damage. 
This was accordingly done. Messrs. Jos. Robson & Sons, nurserymen, of 
Hexham, had their exhibits of coniferous and other plants at the north 
end of the tents; and Mr. W. J. Watson, of Fenham Nurseries, New¬ 
castle, had a number of valuable exhibits at the west end of the tents. 
As the last-named gentleman’s plants were in the most exposed position, 
they were attended to first, and were placed as much out of danger as 
possible. The exhibits of Mr. Robson, and those sent by Messrs. 
William Fell & Co., nurserymen, of Hexham, were next attended to. 
The noise made by the flapping of the canvas and the straining of the 
ropes and poles was something terrific. All that could be done was 
done to keep everything taut. The efforts of the men, however, proved 
futile. First one rope gave way, then another. A portion of the 
canvas broke loose from the ropes, and almost immediately it was torn 
to ribbons. As soon as the wind got a hold underneath the canvas, the 
men cleared out from the marquees, as they expected every moment 
that the whole would come down with a crash. The wind if anything 
increased in fury, and the ropes continued to snap. The west end 
portion of the huge erection was the first to give way, the north-west 
corner shortly followed. Then the whole of the tents swayed back¬ 
wards and forwards for a little while, and fell in a heap to the ground. 
“ The fall of the tents naturally exposed the wooden shed covering 
the engine used to drive the electric apparatus, which was situated in 
the centre of the quadrangle. The roof became quickly loosened, and 
was blown off in fragments. A great quantity ot the canvas was torn 
to pieces, and nearly the whole of the ropes and electric light wires were 
broken. Armstrong’s large refreshment tent, erected at the north end 
of the marquees, stood the strain of the wind pretty well, and damage 
was prevented to this tent by the canvas being lowered. The whole of 
the erections were levelled with the ground before half-past seven. 
Shortly after men were set to work, and. the debris was cleared away as 
quickly as possible. Many of the plants were of course damaged through 
the fall of the poles, and we understand Mr. Watson is the greatest 
sufferer in this respect. The work of clearing away was carried on 
under most trying circumstances. 
“ Some of the members of the Committee naturally anticipated that 
some damage must have been done to the marquees during the early 
hours of the morning, and several of them were early on the spot. At 
9.30 nearly the whole of the members of the Council of the Society 
were assembled on the ground, and it was decided to hold a meeting to 
•decide what should be done in regard to the holding of the Show. The 
Mayor of Newcastle (Mr. J. Baxter Ellis) presided, and amongst those 
present were Messrs. E. Wilson, G. Huntley, A. M. Loades, N. Arm¬ 
strong, W. J. Watson, G. J. Wilson, W. F. Fowkes, P. Hastie, T. G. Win- 
ship, George Nesbit, Balfour, Batey, Hepburn, J. B. Garland, and the 
Secretary, Mr. J. J. Gillespie. A long discussion ensued, and various 
suggestions were put forward. Ultimately it was resolved that, ‘ Owing 
to the tents having been totally destroyed by the gale of this morning, 
the Show for this year be abandoned.’ It was also decided that notices 
intimating the fact be posted up in the city, and that instructions be 
forwarded to the various railway stations. The notices to the railway 
stations, however, would not be in time to stop many excursionists 
coming to the town, some of whom would be in the city before the 
Committee had made its decision. Word was at once sent to Mr. 
J. H. Amers, who was engaged to conduct the Royal Exhibition Band, 
and the band of the 1st Northumberland Artillery, in their per¬ 
formances of selections of popular music, cancelling the engagements. 
“ The fireworks erections were also damaged. Messrs. Brock & Co. 
of London had been engaged to give pyrotechnic displays on each of the 
three evenings of the Show. The decision of the Committee, and the 
damage done, practically made the * scenic ’ fireworks useless, and they 
were destroyed before noon behind the park keeper’s house at the west 
entrance to the park. During the whole of the morning the work of 
clearing was going on. Refreshments were being packed up ; ropes, 
canvas, and woodwork being sorted, and plants being made ready for 
conveyance from the park. A number of vans and vehicles filled with 
plants and flowers arrived on the ground during the morning, but were, 
of course, returned at once to their respective destinations. 
“ Expressions of sympathy with the energetic Committee will doubt¬ 
less be general in the present lamentable state of affairs. The Incorpo¬ 
rated Botanical and Horticultural Society of Durham, Northumberland, 
and Newcastle-on-Tyne is conducted only for the public good. In 
previous years the Society has been extremely unfortunate in respect of 
the weather, which had been wet, and which naturally affected the 
attendance at the shows so seriously that the funds were considerably 
reduced. On two or three occasions there was a deficit, but thanks to 
the generosity of certain gentlemen, and to the untiring energy dis¬ 
played by the present Mayor of Newcastle and the members of the Com¬ 
mittee of the Society, the deficits were made good, and each year the 
Show has made a fair bid for financial success. At each show the 
entries have been numerous, and very considerable expense was incurred 
to make the exhibitions attractive to all. But the weather ha3 been 
persistently against the promoters, and the present difficulty must prove 
very distressing to the members of the Committee. Probably they will 
meet with the public support they deserve. Mr. J. B. Ellis, at the 
last annual luncheon, said : ‘ The Committee had had serious difficulties 
to overcome, but he had the satisfaction of knowing that it was his 
privilege to preside over a Committee of gentlemen who were full of 
energy, pluck, and determination, and who would not know what it 
was to give in. In spite of the fact that the last autumn (1889) show 
left them with a serious deficiency of nearly £100, they had the satis¬ 
faction of commencing the present Show (1890) with a surplus in hand. 
He thought the Society deserved the support of all the people of New¬ 
castle, because there was no doubt that it was of an educational and 
elevating nature, and was accomplishing a great work in which the 
people were deeply interested.’ The words of His Worship aptly 
described the object of the Society, and the hard work of the Committee 
in the past. Under the present circumstances the difficulties of the 
Council must have infinitely increased, and an even greater amount of 
energy will have to be put forward in the future to give the Society a 
good position. They will doubtless not appeal in vain. 
“Without doubt the autumn Show, which was to have been held, 
would have been the most successful from a botanical and horticultural 
point of view ever held by the Society. The various divisions of plants, 
table decorations, cut flowers, fruit, and window plants had a total of 
nearly 100 classes, each having an average of about ten exhibitors, 
showing some thousands of exhibits. Such of the exhibits as arrived on 
the ground, and were seen by competent judges, were pronounced to be 
some of the finest forwarded for competition. 
“ Statement by the Mayor. — His Worship the Mayor of 
Newcastle (Mr. J. Baxter Ellis), President of the Committee, having 
been interviewed by one of our representatives, stated that the members 
of the Committee were completely broken down at this, the greatest 
calamity that has befallen them. A meeting was convened, presided 
over by the Mayor. It was found impossible to do anything with 
respect to the flower Show, and arrivals coming in during the morning 
were ordered to be returned to the railway station, and forwarded to 
their owners. The first thought, however, was as to what could be done 
for the members of the Society and ticket holders, and it was thought 
there should be a fireworks display and music, but after some consultation, 
it was found that the gale was still blowing too strong to allow of this, 
especially as so much damage had been done. This calamity places the 
Societv in a serious state financially, as there are large claims which 
must be met. The general feeling is that there is nothing for it but to 
disband the Society. Of course it goes without saying that it will be a 
source of deep regret to do anything of the kind, but it is asked what 
can be otherwise done under the circumstances. The Committee, 
Chairman, and Secretary have fought against calamity after calamity 
year after year, until at last the greatest has overtaken them, and 
completely prostrated their efforts. It will be now for the general 
public to declare whether the assistance so urgently needed to tide 
over the financial difficulties which have so unexpectedly arisen shall be 
