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Devizes 18th Century Annual Cucumber Feast

A fierce competition

No person shall be permitted to shew cucumbers raised in hot houses or stoves; they must prove the cucumbers to be of their own raising.

Did you know that Devizes held an annual cucumber feast in the 18th century? Rules were very strict and there was no place for cheating in the feirce competition...

Sandy, one of our wonderful Library and Archive volunteers, discovered a report about the 1700s vegetable competition in a newspaper extract:

From 1784 edition of The Wiltshire and Salisbury Gazette

"DEVISES ANNUAL CUCUMBER FEAST WILL be held at Thomas Brown’s, at the sign of the White Bear Friday 26th March.

The person who raises from seed, and produces the finest brace of Cucumbers shall be entitled to a piece Plate of one Guinea and a Half value.

The person who raises from seed the second best brace of Cucumbers, shall be entitled to a piece of plate of one Guinea value.

The person who raises from seed the third best brace of Cucumbers, shall be entitled to a piece of plate of half a Guinea value.

No person shall be permitted to win more than one prize. The person who wins the Guinea and a Half Prize is to subscribe 1s. towards the next year and the Person who wins the Guinea prize is to subscribe 6d towards the next year. The Cucumber are to be shown at four o’clock. No person shall be permitted to shew cucumbers raised in hot houses or stoves; they must prove the cucumbers to be of their own raising.  No person will be permitted to shew for the above prizes unless he has paid the subscription money to Thomas Brown before the first day of February."

Image featured: Devizes market in 2013

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