Posted: Sun 15 Jul, 2012 12:00 pm
The following is reported in John Mayhall's 'Annals of Yorkshire' vol 2.July 15 1861. "The Royal Agricultural Society held during this, and several days, its show in Leeds, in a field near the Cardigan Arms, Kirkstall Road, and afforded an immense interest to the people both there and from all parts of the kingdom. Horticulturists had also a grand display. Dog fanciers had a treat in the show of dogs, in Whitehall road, and chief of all, cattle breeders, lovers of horse flesh, practical farmers, and practical mechanics, had a banquet of extraordinary variety in the display of implements of the society's show. In a pecuniary sense the show was the most successful the society ever had, the aggregate amount of receipts for admission being £9,855 2s. The visiters at the show during five days were 145,329."I like the precise £9,855 2s figure. For the 'young ones' reading this the 2s is 2 shillings in old money, which is 10p in today's money. Using an inflation calculator in the Bank of England's website £9,855 is about £962,470 in 2011 at an inflation rate of 3.1% a year.