HONLEY Show chiefs are on the history trail.
They have put out a call for old programmes and other memorabilia.
It is part of their attempt to compile an archive as they approach their centenary year in 2021.
Sheila Turner, wife of president Allen Turner, said the project had been sparked by former chairman Bill Wood, who had donated a large number of old schedules to the show.
She said: “Bill was involved with the show for a very long time and he gave me this super box which included the first schedule from 1921 and some from after the war through the 1970s to 1986.
“The collection stops there so we just wanted to appeal to anyone out there who might have them hoarded in a box somewhere to get in touch so we can complete the collection.
“It would be nice to have all the historical data to look at so we can see what years the show was cancelled and we might be able to display the archive in the run up to the show or at the show field itself.”
Bill’s wife Elaine, said her husband had a long history of involvement with the show and they had decided the time was right to hand over their collection of schedules.
She said: “We have hoarded these things since just after the war.
“We kept them because we thought someone might like to have them one day.
“It’s interesting because things have changed – it was such a small show, it was very much a village show but now it’s really enormous and people come from all over Yorkshire and the north of England.”
Elaine said her husband, who is currently recovering from an illness, had been a brilliant servant to the show and it was great to see it still thriving today.
She added: “Bill’s father was the NFU secretary for the area and he was asked by local farmers if he was prepared to start it up again.
“He didn’t drive so Bill used to drive him about and attended the meetings and helped his father.
“When his father died suddenly in 1961 he took over. He’s done just about every job there is from cattle secretary to general secretary to chairman.
“We could never go on holiday in June and we had many sleepless nights praying the weather would be good.
“He retired about 10 years ago but he stayed on the committee and even now he’s Honorary Life President.
“The show’s gone from strength to strength. I think the most pleasing thing is that it’s one of the only organisations that keeps renewing its committee.
“While other places struggle to get volunteers we keep getting another set of younger ones every time we need one.”
If you have any schedules from 1922 to 1947 or from 1986 onwards contact Honley Show via their website www.honleyshow.co.uk
