Longtownlocal

Saviour of Longtown’s flower show retires after four decades

PEdwards

Published at 01:00, Friday, 07 September 2007

Farewell: Show chairman George Brough and show secretary Audrey Dickinson, who are both retiring, at this year’s show LOUISE PORTER

By Peter Edwards

A MAN who helped save Longtown’s flower show from extinction nearly 40 years ago is to retire from running the event.

George Brough, 72, is stepping down as chair of Longtown Horticultural Society 37 years after he and Lionel Twigg stopped the annual show from shutting down.

But Mr Brough still exhibited his potatoes, cauliflowers and carrots, as well as pot plants, at this year’s show, which took place on Saturday.

Mr Brough became vice-chair in 1970, when Mr Twigg was chair and there was a chance it would not carry on.

“When we took over it was about to close – but now it is going well. While I’ve been involved with the show all the committee members have been a big help in putting it on. Now we have 45 members and this year there were more than 100 exhibitors and 1,000 exhibits.”

Mr Brough became show chair in 1971 and now enthusiasts come to the Lochinvar School show from as far away as Egremont and Castle Douglas. A Cockermouth-born father of two boys and four girls, all now grown up, he was previously farm manager and head gardener at Netherby Hall, near Longtown.

He retired from that job in 1995 but still lives on the Netherby estate, which has been occupied by the Graham family for more than two centuries.

Mr Brough said he was retiring because of the amount of time needed to put on each show and Audrey Dickinson, show secretary, is also leaving her role after 15 years.

Fellow organiser Billy Duncombe said Mr Brough and Mrs Dickinson, who lives just outside Longtown, had contributed a great deal to the continuing success of the show. “George has been very reliable and a good chair – and he kept the show going by putting in a lot of entries himself. And Audrey has really kept the show together – she’s been involved with things like advertising and organising the caterers.”

The society committee is currently trying to find replacements for Mr Brough and Mrs Dickinson.

More show pictures and results: page 24

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk