A Brief History of the Saffron Walden Horticultural Society Established 1819

The Society was originally established for the encouragement of Horticulture, Botany and Agriculture.
The President was the Right Honourable Lord Braybrooke and it is recorded that 2 very prominent citizens of Saffron Walden William Chater (1802 – 85) and Francis Gibson were both committee members when it was formed in 1819.
The Saffron Walden Horticultural Society held its summer fete intermittently in Bridge End Gardens during the 19th Century. In 1883 the Summer Exhibition was held in the Ornamental Grounds, Bridge End, by kind permission of Lewis Fry, Esq, M.P. and included the mounted band of the Royal Artillery by permission of the Assistant Adjutant General. These exhibitions developed into large annual shows and were held at Audley End Park. Extra trains were laid on from Colchester and Cambridge to cope with the influx of visitors for these important events.
However by 1901 the Society had hit financial difficulties with a loss of patronage and falling membership, it was decided to disband.
It was eventually revived in 1922 under the leadership of the Town Mayor, David Mill and in the inter war years, smaller shows were held in conjunction with other organisations, such as the Horse Society.
Very few shows were organised during the Second World War and by 1951 support for the Society had again diminished, so the decision was taken to disband the Society for a second time. A completely fortuitous revival occurred in 1977, when George Scrivener organised a Rose Show as part of the Jubilee celebrations, which later evolved into the Saffron Walden Rose Society and ultimately the Saffron Walden Horticultural Society was reborn.