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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Linda_J on Monday 02 October 06 11:13 BST (UK)
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Hi
We just discovered this medal in a box of tools that belonged to my father.
It is 50mm diameter and 5mm thick and quite heavy. It is in a presentation case, inside the lid are the words "TOOGOOD & SONS Ltd. SEEDSMEN TO H. M. THE KING. SOUTHAMPTON."
Looking at it I should imagine it was probably awarded for vegetable growing and probably during King George VI reign.
Any one know more about this medal?
Linda
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Perhaps it was a 'best in category' medal at some sort of growers competition?
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Toogoods used to be a big garden seed company in Southampton so I should think they sponsored a prize at a local produce contest.
Fred
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What fantastic medals, Linda.
I have a large certificate awarded to my grandfather by Toogood Seeds 'for having won 6 prizes during 1927 using Toogood seeds'. I'm sorry I can't post a picture of it because it's framed and hanging on my dining room wall - and I don't possess a digital camera.
It says on it that Toogood & Sons was established in Southampton in 1815 and were 'The King's Seedmen' by appointment'.
I like to think it was no small achievement to be made an award by such a reputable firm!
I don't think the firm is still going but I wonder if there is an archive anywhere? I'll try googling and see what I can come up with.
Jill
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Hi Linda
How exciting for you :D
A couple of ideas come to mind immediately, Winchester Records Office have all kinds of stuff, also an inquiry to The Royal Horticultural Society at Wisley.
Let us know !
Wendi :)
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Hi everyone
Thanks so much for all your comments and suggestions. My mother can't remember ever seeing this medal before so must be from fathers side of the family. His father was a gardener and his grandfather was a market gardener so these might be obvious recipients.
I will try the RHS and maybe the BBC gardening programs web sites.
Thanks you again
Linda
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Hi, I wonder if it would it be worth trying to locate some old show catalogues? If there is still a local horticultural or ag/Growmore Society in the area, they might have some in their records. I had a look in our old local ones as we are not too far from Southampton, but they only go back to the 60s. However they do give an idea of who donated prizes and the classes involved.
My mum (nearly 80) is certain she can remember the Toogoods rep coming round to the farm with vegetable seeds so it made her day :).
Fred
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Hi Fred
The problem is what area. Dad must have inherited this from his father or grandfather. The family can be traced from Hampshire to Worthing in Sussex, then to about 6 different towns in Sussex up to the Surrey border before finaly coming to Kent!
I'll start by finding out about the local horticultural Society and take it from there.
Linda
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I just had another idea- this is the sort of thing that metal-detectorists often find. It might pay to send a request to the Q&A page of one of the magazines ("Treasure Hunting" or "The Searcher") where they identify readers' finds. There is usually an expert who knows about such things (like Rootschat :)) There is also a forum at www.ukdetectornet.co.uk which might help.
Fred
(website address modified due to error below :-[ :) )
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Did yo mean this Fred?: http://www.ukdetectornet.co.uk/
Andrew
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Oh yes that's the one, sorry I cut the end off :-[
Fred
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Hi Fred and Andrew
Thanks for that, another direction I can try.
Linda
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Hi,
These were awarded by Toogood and Sons of Southampton for excellence in amateur Horticultural Societies.
Toogoods used to (up to about 1964) produce seeds that could produce giant varieties. ie onions leeks runner beans etc. They also from 1815 nurtured the amateur hortuculturists, one of the logos of toogood was 'grow better with Toogoods', and if they could market this and give away awards such as the medals for growing award winning produce with their seeds, it was an early marketing exercise.
I am the great great granddaughter of the Toogoods seeds founder, and have quite a lot of information and samples of awards and plaques, also a very rare 1901 seed catalogue that has a wealth of information in it. if you would like any further information, I can look it up for you.
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Sarah,
Do you have anything which mentions prize winners by name? I'd be delighted if there was anything for my grandfather - Frederick William Russell - who won a certificate in 1927 for winning 6 prizes. I think he was living in Middlesex by then - probably Pinner/Northwood Hills.
I'm probably hoping for too much - but you don't know if you don't ask!!
Jill
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Hi,
No I am afraid I have no records of that sort, even the PRO at Kew has very little.
Sorry
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Hi Sarah
Thank you for your reply to my post.
I wonder if you know if the medal, shown at the beginning of this thread, was issued over a long period of time or if the pattern may have changed.
Finding it amongst my father possessions indicates it might have been won by him or possibly by my grandfather who died in 1941.
The reference to "Seedsmen to H.M. The KING" doesn’t help much other than it must have been before 1952.
Regards Linda