A three day horticultural show was held at St Thomas' Church of England in Bunyip, 100 years ago this week in December 1913. It raised fifty five pounds which went towards building the Parsonage. The church was opened on December 28, 1902 and the Parsonage opened in June 1915.
Bunyip Horticultural Show
The Argus December 22 1913 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7260099
HORTICULTURAL SHOWS - BUNYIP
The three-days' show in the Bunyip Hall, held last week in aid of St. Thomas's Church of England, was such a pronounced success that the promoters intend to make it an annual fixture. The exhibition of flowers, fruit, vegetables, &c was excellent. Mr. W.S. Keast, M. L. A., opened the show. In cut flowers, Mrs B.L. A'Beckett was the chief prize-winner, taking eight firsts, including that for champion carnation, and also for collection of flowers. H.C. Nelson took six firsts, and other prize winners were the Rev. A.L. Kent, Mr W. G. Kraft and Masters A. Burns and Cecil Corrigan. Mrs A'Beckett was also chief prizetaker for roses, but J.A. Holgate carried off the award for champion bloom. H.C. Nelson also won a number of prizes. Miss Allen won for best arranged basket of flowers, three ladies' sprays and three gent's buttonholes; whilst Miss P. Holland was first for collection of wild flowers. In the cookery section, a prize given for best plain cake made by a married man was won by Mr. W. Walker. Captain A'Beckett being second. Mr A. Boyle won the prize for bachelor's cake, the Rev. A. Banks being second. The show resulted in a clear profit of about £55 towards the new parsonage.
Amongst the prize winners was Horace Nelson, listed in the Electoral Roll as a farmer from Bunyip; William Kraft, who with his wife Sarah, ran the Gippsland Hotel in Bunyip. Their son, William, later became the manager of the Drouin butter factory. Miss Allen who won a number of prizes doesn't have a first name or initial listed, so I don't know who she was; Miss P. Holland won the prize for wild flowers, but she wasn't in the Electoral Roll in 1914. In the cookery section, Mr William Walker won the best plain cake made by a married man. He is listed in the Electoral Roll as a hairdresser of Bunyip. Captain Arthur A'Beckett, came second in this category - he was the husband of the prize winning Beatrice. Mr A. Boyle won the prize for the batchelor's cake. There is a Frederick and Elizabeth Boyle listed in the Electoral Rolls (Frederick is listed as carpenter) so perhaps they are the parents of Mr A. Boyle and the lad, Master A. Boyle who won prizes.
