Ploughing Matches: Newton Abbot Agricultural and Labourers’ Friend Society: The sixteenth anniversary of this society was celebrated on Monday last at Newton Abbot. The ploughing match tool place in a field occupied by Mr. William Mudge of Ford Farm, and the weather being fine, a large number of persons were attracted to the scene of the contest … Dinner at the Globe Hotel, which was served in a good style by the respected host … The Chairman then proposed the health of the Judges, Messrs. John Gidley, (Rattery); John Pinsent (Kingsteignton), and John Grills, (Abbotskerwell) – and observed that there were no men to whom those meetings were more indebted than to these gentlemen, who had to perform a difficult and arduous task (cheers)… Mr. Pinsent, in responding, expressed a hope that in their awards and prizes they had given general satisfaction. Mr. Gidley also responded: and said the judges had great difficulty in performing their duties, in as much as the crops varied so much, one farm having eight acres of swedes, one of common turnips and another as mangold … Mr. Grills said they had gone over four hundred acres of green crops that day …
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Referenced
GRO0508 Hennock: John Pinsent: 1799 – 1858