Description:Officials of the Staffordshire Beekeepers’ Association examine the 24 different bee products, which won Miss P Stanier the first prize for the best and most attractive display of honey, wax and honey products at the Association’s annual show at the County Technical College Hall on Saturday 27 September. Left to right: Mr E L Cotterell, President, Mrs J P Higgs, wife of the Chairman, Miss Stanier and Mr J Hill, Secretary.
There were a large number of entries at the annual honey show. Presiding at the prize giving ceremony Mr E L Cotterell, President of the Association congratulated the Association on the fine exhibition they had produced. Mr W F Welch, MBE, of Shrewsbury judged the honey classes. He said wax was an outstanding feature of the show. This was interesting as the production of wax for show purposes was a very tricky job. The show compared favourably with the county section of the Shrewsbury Show, particularly the dark honey. Judging in these classes had been very difficult. He thanked Mr Elkes for giving a trophy for the wax classes. It provided an incentive to beekeepers in the county.
Miss B Cooper, of Stafford who judged the honey cake classes, said the standard of the cakes was quite good but she advised the committee next year to have a standard recipe. Mr E J Lockyer, of Lichfield judged the fruit classes. Prizes were presented by Mrs J P Higgs, wife of the Chairman of the Association. The Fraser-Stone Cup for the winner of the highest number of points living in the Stone and Barlaston district was won by Mr F Addyman, of Stone. The Leek cup for the highest point’s winner from the Northern Area was won by Miss P A Stanier, of Leigh. The Joynes cup for the Stafford area was won by Mr J Preece, of Penkridge. Winner of the Joseph Price Rose Bowl for the highest number of points gained in the honey classes went to Mr F W Beeston, of Loggerheads, and the Horton Rose Bowl for the highest points gained by an exhibitor with not more than four honey producing colonies was won by Mr Addyman. The Rose Price Silver Cake Dish for the lady member or wife of a member exhibiting the best honey cake was won by Mrs S Sanders. The Elkes Trophy for the best exhibition of wax went to Mr F Addyman, and the Novices Cup and a feeder, presented by Baileys Ltd., was secured by Mr and Mrs J Wilson, of Yarlet.
Results were as follows:
Honey Classes, Two sections, including heather: 1, R Fause, 2, F W Price, 3, F W Beeston. Two squat jars light honey: 1, F W Beeston, 2, J Preece, 3, R J Colley. Two squat jars granulated: 1, F W Beeston, 2, J Preece, 3, M W Cradock. Two squat jars other than light or heather: 1, Miss P A Stanier, 2, G J Sandy, 3, W Harker. One shallow frame of honey for extracting purposes: 1, W H Haggis, 2, R Fause, 3, F Addyman, One beeswax cake, not less than 4: 1, F Addyman, 2, Miss D V Chawner, 3, F W Beeston. Honey cake: 1, S Sanders, 2, M W Craddock, 3, Miss F M Beech. Half pint bottle mead: 1, C J Horton, 2, Miss E N Beech, 3, S Sanders. Half pint of honey vinegar: 1, C J Horton, 2, F Addyman, 3, J Sandy. Best and most attractive display of honey, wax and honey products: 1, Miss P A Stanier, 2, J Preece. Miss Stanier’s winning exhibit contained 24 different substances produced from bee products, including tobacco cured by honey, soap, mead, sweets and biscuits. Novices Classes, Two squat jars light honey: 1, F W Price, 2, H J Keen, 3, W H Clark. Two squat jars granulated: 1, J W Peach, 2, Miss S Crane, 3, Mr and Mrs J Wilson. Two squat jars other than light: 1, Mrs R Howell, 2, W Hawker, 3, G St. John Jones. Half pint bottle of mead: 1, S J Parnell, 2, Mr and Mrs Wilson, 3, A Baker. One beeswax cake: 1, Mr and Mrs Wilson, 2, R Howell, 3, L D Baker. Fruit and Flowers, Dessert apples: 1, Mrs R Howell, 2, J W Peach, 3, J Preece. Culinary apples: 1, J Preece. 2, J W Peach, 3, Miss D V Chawner. Pears: 1, J W Peach, 2, G St. John Jones, 3, C J Horton. Damsons: 1, Miss D V Chawner, 2, J W Preece, 3, J W Peach. Bunches of roses, 1, J W Preece, 2, J W Peach.
During the afternoon a lecture on “Mead Making” was given by Lieutenant-Colonel G R Gayre, M.A. DSc. Chairman and Director of Mead Makers Ltd., Gulval, Cornwall. He said that he was glad to see so many young people at the meeting. The knowledge of mead making almost died out two years ago and now the industry was being revived. He spoke of the ingredients and methods of making meads and warned beekeepers of the difficulties of making them. Mr Higgs, Chairman of the Association presided at the meeting and a vote of thanks to Colonel Gayre was proposed by Mr C S Whiteley.
This photograph was published in the Staffordshire Newsletter on Saturday 4 October 1952. Reproduced by kind permission of the Staffordshire Newsletter who retain copyright.