Rushden Argus, 20th December 1889, transcribed by Kay Collins

Christmas Fat Stock Show - General success attended the second annual show held in connection with the Higham Ferrers market. Since the market has been resuscitated some twelve or thirteen months it has experienced some little variableness, and the restrictions imposed upon the removal of pigs in the summer necessitated the postponement of the market being maintained. For Monday’s show no less than £20 was awarded in prizes, and a good number of entries was the result. There was no doubt the pigs made the best show, the one shown by Mr Day, which carried off the blue ribbon. Some remarkably fine beast were also noticeable, whilst amongst the sheep penned were some first-rate animals which subsequently realised good prices. The stewards of the show were Mr G Wyman, Mr W Spong, and Mr J Flintham, whilst the committee, who had the making of the whole arrangements, had at its head the Mayot (Mr C Parker), and included Messrs Jas, Affleck, S J Joll, W Groome, J Jolley, and G Kilsby. Mr J J Coulbeck, the auctioneer of the market, did a great deal towards the success of the show. The judging was undertaken by Mr Lucas Foster (Irthlingborough) and Mr Wm Askham (Raunds). The following are the judges’ awards:

Beast
Class1Ox or steer, any age or breed; first prize £2, second £1.1 E Parsons, Irchester; 2 Mr G C Fitzwilliam (Mr J Thompson, agent).

Class2Cow or heifer; first prize £2, second £1.1 Mr G H Skinner, Rushden; 2 Mr R Goosey, Wymington.

Sheep
Class 3Three long or short-woolled sheep; first prize £2, second £1.First and second, Mr E Blott, Wellingborough; v.h.c., Mr C E Knight, jun, Rushden.

Class 4Pen of five lambs, any breed; First prize £2, second £1.First, Mr G E Robinson, Irthlingborough; second Mr E Parsons, Irchester.

Pigs
Class5Three fat pigs, any age; First prize £2, second £1.First, Mr R Rhodes, Rushden; second, Mr W W Smith, Rushden.

Class 6Pig or sow; First prize 15s., second 7s.6d.First Mr J Day, Earls Barton; second, Mr J Sargent, Higham Ferrers.

Selling Animals
After the judging had been completed, Mr Coulbeck commenced to sell. The first prize bullock was sold to Mr E Blott for £39 10s., and the second to the Rushden Co-operative Society for £16 15s. In class two, the first prize beast found a purchaser in Mr Harris, Wellingborough, doe £24 10s., and the seond in Mr H Smith, Higham, for £19 10s. The heifer v.h.c. was bought by Mr Willmott, Rushden, for £16 10s., another heifer of Mr Skinner’s for £19 10s., and two Scotch runts of Mr Fitzwilliam for £15 15s. each, by the Co-operative Society. In class three, the first prize sheep made 65s., Mr Hazeldine, Irthlingborough, being the buyer, the second prize animal being bought by the Rushden Co-operative Society for 67s. Mr Groome, Irthlingborough, bought the first prize taken in class four, for 58s., and Mr G E Robinson, Irthlingborough, the second for 53s. The contributors of sheep included Messrs Knight, E and G Parsons, W Askham, and Layton (Addington), &c. In pigs, the first prize winners in the 5th class were sold to Mr C E Knight for £5 each, and the second to Rushden Co-operative Society for £4 5s. In class six, Mr E Parsons bought the first prize winner for £9 10s., and Mr E Shelton the second for £7 17s 6d. Other buyers were Messrs Tite (Finedon), Wilmott, Parsons, James, Lodder, Hazeldine, Smith, J Richardson, Warner, Warren, J Roughton, &c. Mr Wyman kindly found the straw for the pens.

Public Dinner
After the ordinary business of the market had been concluded a large number of persons interested in the market sat down to a dinner at the Green Dragon Hotel, which was provided by Mr Jas. Affleck. They Mayor presided, and the company included Mr W H Simpson (town clerk), Alderman G Wyman, Mr C H Simpson, Councillor S J Joll, Mr E Blott (Wellingborough), Mr E Parsons (Irchester), Mr T C Jeeves (Raunds), Mr G Parsons (Irthlingborough), Mr J Browning, Mr Eady (Chelveston), Mr W Askham (Raunds), Mr Nichols (Isham), Mr Robt. Goosey (Wymington), Mr T Smith (Wellingborough), Mr W Spong (Higham Ferrers), Mr B Mortimer (Rushden), Mr G H Smeathers (Wellingboro’), Councillor R Chown, Mr Harris (Newton Bromswold), Mr J Hodgskin (Yelden), Mr Mitchell (Addington), Mr C Thompson (Wollaston), Mr W Affleck (Raunds), Mr Hills (Raunds), Mr Richardson (Higham Ferrers), Mr Layton .............[paper damaged here there is more to the article]