Palin Family History and Research: AGRICULTURAL MEDALS

I have written about my great great Grandfather, William Palin, and about his being an esteemed farmer, but never in detail. Today I want to expand on some of the prizes that he has won at Agricultural shows. It is amazing to find newspaper articles that list every prize that was awarded at the shows.

I would not have been able to do this with out the help of cousin, Elizabeth, who painstakingly went over each medal and transcribed the writing on each. Thank you Elizabeth!

WILLIAM PALIN AGRICULTURAL MEDALS

Eight of the ten medals are alike. The frame is silver and the front and back are covered by glass, as in a watch dial. The printing appears to be embossed on a white, slightly glossy paper background. The back shows a rural scene with prosperous-looking buildings in the background, horses and sheep in the center, and gardening implements such as a shovel, hoe and rake in the foreground. The front of each has the inscription MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY Instituted 1847 encircling the edge and a laurel wreath inside that. The inscription of the award is in the center.

1. Presented to Mr. Willm Palin of Stapleford Hall for exhibiting at Exhibition a Black

Stallion Colt aged 1 yrs & 4 mos – Oct.7, 1851

2. Presented to Mr. Willm Palin of Stapleford Hall as Tenant of an Estate Prize for the

second best Cultivated Farm of not less than 150 Acres – 7^th Oct. 1851

3. Presented to Mr. Willm Palin of Stapleford Hall for exhibiting the best sample of

White Wheat not less than 4 bushels – Sept. 6, 1853

4. Presented to Mr. Wm. Palin of Stapleford Hall for exhibiting the best sample of Red

Wheat of his growing in 1854 – Sept. 8, 1854

5. Presented to Mr. Wm. Palin of Stapleford Hall for exhibiting the best sample of White

Wheat of his own growing in 1854 – Sept. 8, 1854

6. `Presented to Mr. Wm. Palin of Stapleford Hall for the best sample of not less than 4

bushels of White Wheat (White Essex) – Exhibited – Sept. 10, 1857

7. Awarded to Mr. Wm. Palin of Stapleford Hall nr Chester with a £1 given by the Local

Committee for the best sample of White Wheat , Exhibited at Ashton-Under-Lyne

Sept, 11 & 12, 1861

8. Awarded to Mr. Willm Palin of Stapleford Hall nr. Chester with £1 given by the

Local Committee for the best sample of any variety of Barley. Exhibited at Ashton-

Under-Lyne Sept. 11 & 12, 1861.

The 9^th medal is framed in silver as the above. The reverse side shows a goddess-like

figure standing with a cornucopia in the right hand and a bunch of wheat (?) in the left,facing a cow and sheep, with a plow, shovel, hoe and rake near her feet. At the bottom, below a line, is the inscription “Inst. Manchester 1767”. The glass on the front is badly cracked and there is some discoloration. Around the edge is SOCIETY FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF AGRICULTURE, then a laurel wreath. The only words visible are: Presented..M. (?) Palin, and 1811 (?) at the bottom.

Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Society Meeting at Liverpool Warrington Guardian September 10, 1859

The tenth medal is all silver. The reverse side is engraved around the edge CHESTER AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY and shows a cow in a landscape with a skirted figure (milkmaid?) in front of it. The front has a laurel wreath and the inscription “Presented to William Palin Esq. for his COW – Exhibited 6^th Oct. 1842

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Personally, I think it is wonderful that these medals have been handed down through the years and that the information from the medals has been shared with us. Thank you again Elizabeth!

It would be remiss of me not to mention another one of William Palin's awards. In 1844 he entered an essay on Farming in Cheshire to the Royal Agricultural Society and it won. The prize was an astounding £50. (In today's money that would equal £4441.57.)