by Emma Jones


Dartmouth Fatstock Show – “the day the country goes to town.”


2nd T


his is arguably Dartmouth’s oldest and longest running truly local event. It has a date firmly footed in the calendar and ALWAYS falls on the Tuesday in December – which this year is 13th


December. It’s an important date for local


farmers who come to town to show off their stock which is fat (hence the name ‘fatstock’) and ready for market. In recent years other local fatstock shows (eg Plympton, Totnes and Kingsbridge) have changed their name to ‘Prime’ or ‘Christmas’ show but Dartmouth still holds with tradition. The event has taken place since century (the current


the early 20th


minutes book dates back to a meeting held in the Commerical Hotel, Dartmouth in september 1951).


The event lapsed during the war but was keenly revived in the 1940s. Not much has altered over the years despite the changes in the rural community and economy and the current show secretary, Mr Pedrick, assures me the event is still as popular as ever and continues to draw the crowds with the next generation of farmers out in force. Most of the changes are due to licensing and animal movement restrictions enforced following the Foot and Mouth and the ongoing TB crises. This has led to the disappearance of the pig class but the sheep classes still have as many entries as 20 years ago and 2015 saw the most cattle entered for over 20 years.


The event is a reminder that we live in a strongly, Lionel Bond’s grandfather, Jim Forster (2nd from left) at Dartmouth Fatstock Show in 1926.


rural community. Not only is it very local but it’s also a real family affair. Generations of farmers and their families have been involved. Lionel Bond is the Show’s Chairman and has been involved since his school days in the 1950s with his grandparents involved in the 1920s. The current secretary, Michael Pedrick, has been in situ since 1998 having taken over from his father (who used to farm in Dittisham) who held the post for a mere 40 years from 1957. Other members of the committee are made up of people from the farming community whilst the President is traditionally a local businessman – a role currently


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140