Marburg Show, Ipswich, 1950s – image courtesy of Picture Ipswich
In August of 1886 the Marburg, Kirchheim, Glamorgan Vale and Back Plains Agricultural and Industrial Association were formed. (Farmers’ Association for short, now Marburg Show Society) The annual subscription for membership was 5 shillings. A gathering of the Association met in March 1887 and agreed to the proposal of holding an Agricultural and Industrial show at Marburg on the 27th July. Donations of money for prizes and a silver cup were offered on the night. At a special committee meeting later in April, a prize schedule for the show was agreed upon and more donations of funding were made.
The first Marburg Show was held on Wednesday the 27th July, 1887 in the grounds and building of the Marburg School of Arts and was a grand success. Schools in the area had been given the day off and the community was excited for a day of entertainment and delight. On the day flags, garlands of flowers and evergreens decorated the roadside from the Walloon Railway Station to Marburg ready for the visit of His Excellency the Governor, Sir Anthony Musgrave, who was to open the show. The district had been enthusiastic in their efforts to support the event; this being displayed by the showing of at least 200 classes and about 1000 exhibits of various kinds. The School of Arts building held displays of vegetables, farm and dairy produce, fruits, manufactured items and fine arts. On show in the grounds were sheep, pigs, cattle, agricultural implements and more. Competitions ranged from homemade cheeses and loaves of bread to enormous pumpkins weighing 150 pounds. There were thirteen exhibits of bushels of cob on the corn, a fair show of poultry and about 100 horses of all kinds. Up to 2000 people were estimated to be at the show on the day. After the success of the day it was agreed by the Association that a similar show be held every year. The Marburg Show moved to its current grounds in 1912.
The Marburg Show Society has celebrated over 125 years of the Society with a book titled: “Not Just a Show – Marburg Show Society 1887-2012”. This title and others about the Marburg and Rosewood Scrub district can be found on the shelves of The Viva Cribb Local History Room, Level 2 of the Ipswich Central Library. Please feel free to visit and find out more about your part of Ipswich. The Local History Room is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.