LID - TROPHY BEDFORDALE A & H SOCIETY CHALLENGE CUP

The trophy was first presented to Mr B V Cross in 1911 at the Bedfordale Show, which was held at the Armadale Mechanics Institute on Saturday the 22 April 1911. The trophy, a Champion Challenge Cup was awarded for the first time by the Bedfordale Agricultural and Horticultural Society to the competitor who accumulated the most points during the show. The trophy was won by Mr Benjamin Vidgon Cross of Runnymede Orchard who accumulated nearly 50 points, followed by Mr A J Egan and F A Saw who had points in the 20s.The trophy cost around 5 pounds and was to be presented to the first exhibitor to either win it three times or consecutively. Exhibitors received 2 points for a first place in a category and 1 point for second.. Mr Cross received numerous first and second place in the fruit and vegetable categories for items including apples, pears, grapes, carrots and swedes. In 1912 he won the trophy again meaning it was presented to him to keep.
The Cross Family established Runnymede Orchard and Market Garden in Bedfordale in 1895, and played an important role in establishing and developing the horticultural industry in the Bedfordale locality. Runnymede, especially under the management of Benjamin V. Cross won numerous awards at local agricultural shows including the Bedfordale Show and the Kelmscott Show. The collection also has an association with the establishment and development of local organisations including the Bedfordale Agricultural and Horticultural Society and the Kelmscott Agricultural Society.
Since the 1960s the industry has come under increasing pressure from agricultural land being turned into urban housing developments, children not carrying on family orchards and the cost of running a market garden and orchard which can be very labour intensive industries. As these pressures cause more orchards an market gardens to close this item and other items relating to the industry will change from representing an active and prominent industry to a past industry.