Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

Corporate body

Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

In 1904, six agricultural show enthusiasts met at the Lion Royal Hotel, Aberystwyth to consider forming an Agricultural Show Society for Wales. A general meeting of supporters, held at the House of Commons on 26 February 1904, endorsed the steps suggested by Loveden Pryse and his colleagues, and the Welsh National Agricultural Society was born. The first venue selected was a two-day event in Aberystwyth held on the Vicarage Field, 3 and 4 August 1904. The shows of 1908 and 1909 were held on the Flats, now the University Playing Fields. At the Annual General Meeting, 19 March 1910, an invitation was accepted from the Carmarthenshire Agricultural Society to hold the show at Llanelli. Four more shows were held prior to the First World War. In 1920, with assistance from Mr (later Lord) David Davies of Llandinam, a show was held at Wrexham in 1922. On 22 November of that year, the Society was honoured when King George V became Patron and the Prince of Wales became Honorary President, and the name of the Society was changed to the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society. The first twenty-five years, to 1929, had seen the development of the Society despite the intervention of the war. In 1939, war intervened again and no shows were held during the years 1940 to 1946. In 1947, the show at Carmarthen was a success with a visit from Princess Elizabeth. Because of petrol rationing, no show was held in 1948. In 1949, the show staged at Singleton Park, Swansea attracted a total attendance of 102,101 - a record that stood until 1976. In the following years attendances steadied. In 1960-1961, rising costs forced the Society to consider a permanent location. A decision was taken in 1962 to purchase a site and a permanent home was established at Llanelwedd (Builth Wells) where the first show was staged in 1963.