Show Awards
This section was contributed by Alan Gibberd - Summer 2008
Over the past decades there have been donated to the Village Show, often in memory of relatives, cups and other trophies to be won at the Annual Show. These also reflect the pleasure the donors have had from their years of participating and the wish that others might be encouraged to take part over successive generations. It has been thought that it would be of interest for future winners of these awards to know something about those who presented this impressive "silverware".
Because I have lived in Old Basing since 1958, during which time I have been an exhibitor and since 1990, a member of the Show Committee, I have had the pleasure of knowing personally all but one of the donors and their relatives. I have therefore been asked to write short thumb nail sketches of them from memory, and this I am happy to do. These are not full life stories, and unfortunately there are bound to be inaccuracies and omissions, and for these I apologise and would welcome any alterations.
KINGDON CHALLENGE CUP Ted Kingdon and his wife Dorothy, lived in Basing Cottage, Milkingpen Lane. He was a member of a family who ran an ironmongery business for several generations in Basingstoke. Before much of the garden, to the rear of the house, was developed there was a very productive fruit and vegetable plot there.
THE ALENÇON CUP Kindly presented by the people of Alençon.
THE KEN JONES MEMORIAL CUP Ken Jones lived next door but one to Jeff Owen in Linden Avenue, and he was the only person recently who could grow bigger parsnips and onions than Jeff. He was too modest, but eventually was persuaded not only to enter the Show, but to join the Committee, along with his wife Dorie. Sadly he died within a few years in 2007 and this cup was donated by Dorie.
OWEN KING CUP Mrs Keysell King lived in Pyotts Hill and for many years was deeply involved with the Red Cross being particularly associated with the guides and brownies as well as providing a team of first aiders at local events. She was a great rose grower and won the Marsh Bowl seven times between 1964 and 1976.
THE HENRY DYKE MEMORIAL CHALLENGE CUP Henry, known as Bill, was a local hero. He served for many years as a Borough Councillor, with a record of preventing unwelcome development. In 1964, or about that time, he witnessed a robber running out of the Post Office, which was then in the Street. He grabbed his coat but was shaken off, but Bill continued to chase him, and when he caught him the raider fired at him at 5 foot range, injuring him in the stomach, a wound which though serious was not life threatening. His heroic act was reported in the National Press, the Post Office presented him with a bravery award and the police gave him a gold medal. A public collection in the village raised enough money for this cup and a presentation to the School.
THE JONES CHALLENGE CUP Frank Jones, along with his wife were members of the Show Committee for many years up to 2004. He was a great grower of dahlias. Now the classification of dahlias is complex and it is not easy to reduce them to just five classes for the Show. Thanks to Frank, it is hoped, exhibitors are now clear in to which category their blooms fall. His contribution to the produce stall at the Show was always greatly valued.
THE JAMES MORRISON AWARD James Morrison, a Scot, lived in the 1960's in a cottage in the Street , part of the Paddocks, now demolished, where he had a most attractive cottage garden. He along with his son in law ran a garden contracting business, though sadly the son in law died in a tragic accident. The award was given by his daughter Isobel Booth, also a keen gardener.
LEN BRICKELL MEMORIAL CUP Len Brickell lived in Byfleet Avenue until his death in 2007, where his large garden and two greenhouses produced many fruit and vegetable prize winners. In later years he concentrated his efforts in growing dahlias and chrysanthemums which he successfully showed in the Basingstoke Dahlia and Chrysanthemum Show. Two trees have been planted by the allotment holders in his memory.
THE MARSH ROSE BOWL Major Jeremy Marsh lived in Cromwell Cottage where he and his wife Joy had a beautiful garden running down to the lakes. The handsome silver Rose Bowl which he donated was part of his family regimental silver, as can be seen on its inscription.
THE CLAYTON CHALLENGE CUP Alan Clayton, the retired Basingstoke station master and his wife Babs, who died recently at the age of 102, lived at he top of Pyotts Hill and had a pretty cottage garden, now built on. Alan was a painter of railway scenes and local views and Babs was a long standing member of the Church Flower group.
Here is a link to an image of one of Alan's paintings, kindly sent to us by Dudley Marshall who tells us that "I moved to Basingstoke in the early 1950s when my late father Stanley Marshall purchased and ran a drapery business, trading as W Coombes. As a family we knew Alan and Babs well, and Alan painted this very colourful picture of the back garden of our house in Winchester Road.
THE BEDDINGTON HOLMES CUP Betty Holmes MBE lived in Old Basing almost all her life. During the war she worked in the village with the early stages of Sparsholt Agricultural College. She married first Reginald Beddington CBE who donated to the village the land which is now our Recreation Ground. She later married AVM Cecil Holmes. Deeply involved in Old Basing affairs she was a Borough Councillor, mayor and freeman of the Borough; (and of Eiskirchon in recognition of her work with the Borough's twinning activities.) She was President of the Show Committee until her death in April 2009.
THE NOVICE CUP This cup was presented by Jackie Deadman and Penny Gaskill. Both are talented flower arrangers and have been members of the Show Committee for many years, Jackie also having served as Chairman, 2002-2006. They felt that their inevitable winning of the Floral Arrangement classes was discouraging entries so they donated this cup which, successfully, has encouraged a new generation of entrants.
THE NASH CHALLENGE CUP Phillip Nash and his wife Rachael lived in Parkers Farm, Crown Lane, which then had an extensive beautiful garden. Rachael, a true plantswoman, hybridised and showed new varieties of daffodils.
THE ANNE WEST AWARD Anne West who lives in Pyotts Hill, was catering manager at the Vyne. She a very imaginative floral artist and has taught this art to small groups.
THE HEATHER STEWART CUP Heather Stewart was a "Tiller Girl" before settling down to a more conventional, but artistic, life of make up artist with the BBC. She was a very talented painter and crafts woman, most of her works being miniatures. Well known for her flapjacks at the Show and elsewhere.
THE MAJOR DANIEL MEMORIAL CUP We are greatly in debt to " Major Dan" because it was largely through his efforts, along with Henry Dyke, that the Flower Show was resuscitated in about 1964, and he was Chairman for many years after. His particular interests were pickles and jams.
THE HOLLIDAY TANKARD Wing Cdr and Mrs Holliday lived in Crown Lane for some years in the 1960's and they both had many other involvements in village life as well as home brewing of beers. The cup was donated in 1974.
THE SHORTHOUSE CUP Len Shorthouse lived in Priory Gardens and was Show Secretary in 1979.
OWEN CHALLENGE CUP Following in the path of their parents, Jeff and Rita whose names dominated the results board for many years, Gareth and Joy Owen for many years dominated the Children's Classes. As a way of giving thanks for the pleasure entering had given them, and to encourage future generations of participants in the Show, Gareth and Joy donated this cup.
Other Awards/Trophies
In addition to the awards described by Alan, the following awards are also presented each year at the Show
RHS BANKSIAN MEDAL Granted each year by the RHS to affiliated societies such as our Village Show.
THE BOLTON CUP Presented by The Rt Hon Lord Bolton. For more information about Lord Bolton's historic link with the show, see our History page.
THE BEADLE CHALLENGE TROPHY Presented to the committee by Chris Beadle in 2013.
THE MCGREDY ROSE SHIELD The shield was given by the rose growers Mcready in the late 1980s to Show Committees such as ours. In 2018, the cup was superceded by the Dr Alan Gibberd Rose Trophy - see below.
THE RESIDENT'S ASSOCIATION TROPHY Presented by the former resident's association. During the years when the resident's association was active, the village show was a sub-committee of the association.
THE RESIDENT'S ASSOCIATION CHALLENGE CUP Also presented by the former resident's association.
THE OLD BASING WINE AND BEER CIRCLE CUP Presented to the show by the Old Basing Wine and Beer Circle.
THE DR ALAN GIBBERD ROSE TROPHY Presented to the show Alan's by family following his death in 2018. Alan became Chairman of the Old Basing Flower Show in February 1990. Until April 2001 the Flower Show Committee reported to the AGM of the Resident’s Association.
In April 2002, Alan stood down as Chairman at the first autonomous AGM of the Show which was renamed the Old Basing Village Show. In his report he stated that ‘apart from interminable arguments about Victoria sponges’ he had enjoyed his time on the committee serving as Chairman. He retired from the Committee in 2008, the year he was 80. Following the death of Betty Holmes he was delighted to be asked to become our President in November 2009 and had conducted every AGM since.
Alan was passionate about rose growing and his name appears many times on the McGredy Shield for the best rose bloom and also on the Marsh Rose Bowl for the most points in the rose section. The new Trophy bearing his name now replaces The McGredy Rose Shield and is awarded for the best rose bloom in the Show. Previous winners of the shield are listed on a laminated certificate that is also presented with the trophy.
Award of trophies
Details of the way in which all of these trophies are awarded, and the classes to which they relate, can be found in the show schedule - see the Show page for details.