A cousin moving interstate sends items of dusty memorabilia relevant to my ancestry. There are murky photos, a tattered Yass Show schedule and an even more tattered certificate awarded to Mr John James Burgess.
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So begins a paper trail that opens a small but interesting window into the life of that man, but also into the history of Yass Show, from its inception as the Yass Pastoral, Agricultural and Horticultural Society Exhibition.
John James Burgess was born in 1845 at Yass River and died in 1920.
He married Emma Amelia Davis of Mundoonan and they settled to farm 100 acres and produced 12 children. John inherited 172 extra acres from his father William.
Old maps show the Burgess paddocks running perpendicular to Yass River without obvious water access, but in the 1940s and 50s Davis/Burgess descendants would walk from 'Sutton' homestead across the river to a paddock known as 'Burgess's' to pick fruit in an old orchard. Did John Burgess plant those trees? Perhaps he grew vegetables there using water from Yass River?
In March 1887 John was awarded a grand certificate for the best collection of vegetables at the Yass Pastoral and Agricultural Association's Exhibition. A hand-written list includes 32 items, some uncommon now. Though the word 'Horticultural' had dropped off the title, competition for vegetable prizes was obvious.
In 2002, Gloria Carlos wrote about the 150th anniversary of the first 'Exhibition' held on land surrounding Henry Turner's store facing Comur Street, bounded by Polding, Church and Browne Streets and owned until 1863 by Henry O'Brien (modern site of Luff Motors).
In 1870 Yass Southern Pastoral and Agricultural Society held its show in North Yass, on land bounded by Glebe, Castor and Mount Streets, now occupied by Horton House and Linton Aged Care.
Another site in North Yass was near the intersection of Grampian and O'Brien Streets.
In 1887 a site opposite 'Cliftonwood' would have been in use (now part of Joe O'Connor Park).
By 1895 land in the angle of Adele and Shaw Streets (surrounding the present Bowling Club) had been donated by Mr J Hume, eight acres handy to Yass Town Railway Station. As the town developed this site was too small, and land was purchased from Mr E McReynolds - 50 acres accessed from Grand Junction Road.
The first show there was in 1902, and the Yass Show Society still holds its autumn show at this venue.
The first show there was in 1902, and the society still holds its autumn show at this venue.
Call at our museum (247a Comur Street) and see Clara Remmington's 1870s show certificate for tanned cat skins and an early show medal on display.
