Sharing Heritage
The Gilsland Agricultural Society, which has been running its annual event since 1914, aimed to capture the spirit and history of the show and document how it has been affected by the wider world – from the First World War to Foot and Mouth disease, and terrible weather conditions to the years when the sun came out.
Volunteers ran events in the village hall, and interviewed individuals in their homes to capture people’s memories about the show, why it’s so important in the local calendar and how rural life and hill farming has changed.
The project culminated in an exhibition at the centenary show in 2014, as well as the production of books and DVDs, which included people telling stories about their show experiences, explaining local traditions, words and ways of talking unique to the area.