THIS week in Down Memory Lane we look back 60 years to the 1953 Orsett Show.

The Grays & Tilbury Gazette featured a range of articles and photographs to what appears to have been a good show, partly because the sun came out!

There were 12,000 visitors, 8,000 via bus, bike and walking, with a further 3,000 people coming in 800 cars.

The record attendance caused some problems – the main one was the beer tent ran dry by 4.30pm, while the St John Ambulance Service reported only 15 casualties, a combination of wasp stings and fainting.

The grounds of Orsett Hall were placed at the disposal of the society by the president Sir Francis Whitmore, who commented that this was the best show to-date with the cattle and horses being the best he had seen and a fantastic crowd.

He further commented on the handy craft sections, which were a credit to the local schools and teachers.

Here are some selected winners; A pyramid of potatoes, W Makinson, Stanford, Beetroot (long) H Tampkins, Little Thurrock, Extracted Honey, Mr Coker, Grays, Apples (dessert) W E Jarvis, Orsett, Pears, S. Chalmers, South Ockendon, One Rose Bloom, E Grays, Tilbury, While from the handy craft sections; Embroidery, M Bernadette, Covent of Mercy, Stanford, Toys, E Moody, Thurrock Hospital, and from the schools section, Needle work under 9, J Timms, Chadwell, Knitting, Diana game, Orsett, Weaving, R Alexander, Arthur Street School.

The Orsett Show is an agricultural show and a special feature in 1953 was to award long service presentations to those who worked on the local farm.

This year Mr A E Pease, of Turnpike Cottages, West Tilbury, had served at Hall Farm for the Cole farming family. He started work for them in 1895 and this year had completed 58 years service.

Hope to see a record attendance this year and look out for our Thurrock heritage displays in the Thurrock Council marquee.