History
The history of the GYS is intimately connected with that of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS). At its foundation in 1837, the primary aim of the YAS was stated as "... to hold an Annual Meeting for the Exhibition of Farming Stock, Implements &c., and for the General Promotion of Agriculture."
The first YAS Show was held in 1838 in the Barrack Yard at Fulford, near York. Though the numbers attending were not recorded the event was counted a success; police had to use their batons to restore order among the large numbers of visitors when they began to force their way in without paying.
Originally intended as a peripatetic event, the Show moved to Leeds, Northallerton and Hull in subsequent years, before returning to York in 1842. This is the first year for which attendance figures are available — the Show in 1842 had a paid attendance of 6,044. By 1843 the YAS Show had become known as the "Great Yorkshire Show", apparently by popular acclamation rather than in any official sense.
The GYS continued to be held in various places around Yorkshire until 1950.
No GYS was held between 1915-1919 due to the First World War.
The 1920 GYS was held jointly with the Royal Agricultural Society of England in Darlington.
Shows between 1940-1948 were cancelled due to the Second World War.
By 1948 the YAS was coming to the conclusion that the expenses involved in setting up a new showground every year were becoming prohibitive, and in 1949 it was decided that a permanent showground be acquired.
In 1950 the last of the peripatetic shows was held in Malton. In 1950 the YAS bought a site at Hook Oval in Harrogate for £16,500, and since 1951 this has been the permanent site for the GYS.
In 1951 the attendance figure was nearly 54,000.
The 2001 GYS was cancelled due to the outbreak of Foot and mouth disease in Britain.
The 2006 show has been the most successful so far in terms of attendance figures, with 135,111 visitors. The 2011 show came close to the record with 135,086 visitors.
The 2008 show was attended by the Queen to celebrate the 150th occasion on which the Show had been held.
The 2012 Great Yorkshire Show (the 154th) was cancelled on Tuesday 10 July 2012 after only one day due to exceptional rain which had made the showground car parks unsafe. Organisers stated that the decision had been taken "with regret". This was the first occasion on which the GYS had been cancelled due to weather. (Earlier cancellations had been due to war or foot and mouth disease.)
Read more about this topic: Great Yorkshire Show
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