Fond memories of the bustle and activity of Monday market days at Sturminster are shared by many local families, yet far fewer people are aware of the town’s once-important Sturminster Agricultural Society cattle shows, held annually from 1832 into the 1880s. The shows were followed by prestigious dinners, usually at The Crown, attended by an impressive guest list. Reports in local and national newspapers record packed dining rooms – with over 200 guests accommodated in the room above ‘Holebrooks’ – while the town’s other inns did a roaring trade, too. This talk explores the people behind these events, compares Sturminster with other agricultural societies, and uncovers the speeches, debates and rural concerns that once placed the town firmly on the national stage.

Speaker: Jacqui Wrag