A POTTED HISTORY

The Bangor Horticultural Society was formed at a meeting of Bangor residents on Wednesday, May 2, 1923.The first Honorary Secretary was Mr Moses Gibson and the founder president was Mr T W McMullen (later Sir Thomas McMullen), supported by a committee of 32 well-known local residents. Maude, Lady Clanmorris and Miss Connor were founder patronesses. The annual subscription was fixed at half a guinea (521/2 p in today’s currency) and remained at this level for 38 years.The first show was held on 22nd and 23rd August, 1923, in marquees in the grounds of Bangor Castle. Despite inclement weather it was considered very successful. At the first AGM in January 1924 it was reported that the membership comprised 24 patrons, 200 vice-presidents and 173 ordinary members. The deficit was £18 .Two-day shows continued to be held in the grounds of Bangor Castle and included trade stands, horse jumping events and band concerts. Special train arrangements with combined show tickets were arranged by the Belfast & County Down Railway. In 1930 the show had a disastrous ending when the tents were blown down and the jumping events had to be postponed. Financial losses were largely offset by a guest tea arranged by the ladies of the society.During the war years (1939/45), no shows were held and the society was largely inactive. However, the show was revived with a two-day event held in the guild hall of First Bangor Presbyterian Church.The silver jubilee year, 1943, saw the first winter lecture meetings. A gardens competition was heldthat year and in 1949 summer outings were introduced. The 1956 records show a membership of 220. In 1965 the North Down Chrysanthemum Society was amalgamated with the horticultural society.In 1971 the society presented a greenhouse to the Glencraig Village Community as part of a special project; the coffee party and plant sale organised to raise funds for this became a permanent major annual event for the society each May.The golden jubilee year, 1973, included a digging match (repeated for several years), a flower festival in Bangor Abbey, a barn dance, a concert and a special dinner.By the late 1970s the winter meetings in the Co-op Hall were attracting attendances of up to 100, each meeting featuring a library facility, members' table competition, a short talk by a member, as well as a welcome cup of tea, thanks to the faithful band of ladies.In 1982 and 1983 the main summer show was held in Bangor Leisure Centre in collaboration with the Borough Council.Winter meetings continued in the Co-op Hall until it was demolished, when the Society moved to Hamilton House and spring and summer shows were held regularly until the loss of the St Columbanus church hall facility.The difficulty of finding suitable venues (i e. with car parking space, staging space, tea room facility), not to mention the cost of hiring such places and the difficulty of finding help with transportand erection of the staging has meant that the Society has had to limit showing to members only mini-shows in April and August.
In 1983 the society paid for trees and shrubs to make a small Garden of Rest in the grounds of Bangor Abbey with the Borough Council undertaking the maintenance. Since 1999 the society has been planting and maintaining the garden in conjunction with North Down Borough Council and re-naming it The Millennium Garden of Peace. In 2013 Bangor Horticultural Society celebrated its 90th year and held numerous events under the banner heading of “90 Years old and still growing”. The 90th anniversary was recognised by the North Down Borough Council who arranged for a civic reception in the Town Hall, Bangor Castle, when two members of the Society were interviewed for the BBC Radio Ulster programme “Gardener’s Corner”. The Council also created an attractive floral display in the town centre to commemorate the anniversary.The Society continues to flourish with an average annual membership of 55. The committee organises an annual lecture programme, two mini-shows and several garden visits each year.