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Village Flower Shows have been part of rural life for many years and the Littleton show has quite a history going back to the 1920's.
The first show in the parish was part of a Three Villages show held one year in Sparsholt, one year in Crawley and the next in Littleton. The Committee meetings were held in the village where the show was being held that year, and as there was no transport in those days and members had to walk, in the winter months the meetings were fixed when there was a full moon so that they could see the way! The Show was held on the last Thursday in July (early half day closing for shops in Winchester) and Crawley and Sparsholt children had a day off school for the occasion. This carried on until 1939.  It was not until 1957 that efforts to get the Show going
again were made by the St Catherine's Church Fellowship. A small show was held in the Memorial Hall (pictured, right)
which was very successful, and the following year a small marquee was used, again with good support.
The success of the Show was due to a young lad, Mervyn Merwood, who lived in New Road. He was a very efficient and enthusiastic Secretary. Unfortunately, he left Littleton and no-one could be found to replace him and there were insufficient people at that time to help run the event. The Show fell through. In 1970, Harold Mason, the then Chairman of Littleton Parish Council, proposed the idea that there should be a body formed (The Activities Association) to co-ordinate existing clubs and associations in the village. Out of this was born the Youth Club, Senior Citizens' Club and the idea of a Flower Show. That year, a small Show was held on the first Saturday in September in the Memorial Hall. This was well supported with some 250 entries. The WI had to provide the teas from a Scout tent by the side of the hall (very much plagued by wasps). There were also a few sideshows and stalls on the Recreation Ground which helped to make money, although the main aim in those days was to provide a day for the people of the parish which all the family could enjoy from toddlers to Grandma. In 1971, because of the support of previous years, the Flower Show was moved to a Marquee and open classes were introduced for people outside the parish. The WI moved into the Hall to provide the excellent teas, where they have been ever since.  The popularity of the Show very soon spread to the
surrounding district with the addition of other attractions: WI competition, Arena events, Craft Tent, many new stalls, sideshows and a
bar. Horse classes were introduced but as this became more and more popular there was insufficient room to accommodate all the horses
on the Recreation Ground, so this part of the Show became a separate event on a bigger site.
One person who did much for the Show was Ted Wedge, who was Secretary of the Flower Show for 25 years. He, with many others, have been responsible for keeping the Show a traditional part of village life – a day when the young people brought up in the village can come back and know they will meet many of their childhood friends – the one day of the year when all the Parish meet. On the morning of the first Saturday in September all roads lead to the Recreation ground and excitement and anticipation mounts as Exhibitors arrive with their entries. |