An amateur film made by North Yorkshire farmers wife Bernice Ward of members from the Federation of Women’s Institute working to set up and run a marquee at the 1959 and 1960 Royal Agricultural Shows taking place on a 300-acre showground at Oxford and Trumpington near Cambridge. Possible Royal visitors to their marquee are recorded as well as other visitors wondering around looking at the various displays and demonstrations. The film also records some of the other events taking place in both...

An amateur film made by North Yorkshire farmers wife Bernice Ward of members from the Federation of Women’s Institute working to set up and run a marquee at the 1959 and 1960 Royal Agricultural Shows taking place on a 300-acre showground at Oxford and Trumpington near Cambridge. Possible Royal visitors to their marquee are recorded as well as other visitors wondering around looking at the various displays and demonstrations. The film also records some of the other events taking place in both shows from displays of farm machinery to animatronic sculptures and a demonstration of Scottish folk dancing. Inside a large marquee for the Federation of Women’s Institute at Oxford women work setting up a series of displays. The marquee opens to the public, people wonder around looking at the displays as well as a demonstration of wool making with a woman using a spinning wheel. Outside the marquee a large banner for the federation hangs over the entrance. Inside a large catering tent women in white overalls work diligently preparing and serving food and drink. Back inside the federation marquee more crowds of people looking around while outside two people on horseback ride past passing crowds wondering about the show ground. Back inside the federation marquee a display of dolls dressed in various ethnic dresses and a woman behind a counter of a food demonstration. A crowd gathers around the woman at the spinning wheel. Inside another large marquee displays of colour flowers while outside a tractor drives past pulling a wagon on which sit visitors, a banner attached to the wagon reads ‘Free Showground Bus Service. Agricastrol’. Inside another marquee a group of school boys working with wood, a banner above their heads reads ‘Rural Crafts in the School Club’. Back at the Federation marquee a woman in a red dress is shown around the various displays. She maybe a member of the Royal family as several women curtsey. Outside a display of Scottish folk dancing with the male dancers in kilts. The visit continues inside the marquee and a crowd of children stand around the woman spinning. Outside what appears to be an animatronic sculpture changes to a carriage driving demonstration taking place in the distance. Back inside the federation marquee women packing up. A second Federation of Women’s Institute marquee on a site at Trumpington near Cambridge with women inside setting up various displays including a large display of decorative flowers. At a nearby caravan park rows of vans lined up changes to visitors walking around the show site passing the large ‘Ayrshire Elevators’ marquee. Nearby a display of various farm machinery. Inside the federation marquee crowds of women wonder about looking at the various displays and demonstrations. Inside a large catering tent tables set up and a queue of visitors purchasing items. In a kitchen area woman in white overalls, some of whom are making cakes. A possibly Royal visitor being shown around the federation marquee. The woman speaks with some of those other women about their displays. Outside a large crowd gathers around a large animatronic sculpture changes to a display of either ceramic or stuffed animal heads. The film ends on views around the large show site with several large marquees including ones for ‘Devon Lady’, ‘Suttons Reading’ and a banner for a display of ‘Farm Mechanisation’.