The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia (RASWA) was established 1831 in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

Early history

It held its first annual

agricultural show An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which selective breeding, breed ...

, the Fair and Cattle Show, at

Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, around southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The name "Guildf ...

on 7 November 1834. The show was moved to the

Claremont Showground The Claremont Showground near Perth, Western Australia is home to the annual Perth Royal Show. In 1902, of land were reserved in the Perth suburb of Claremont for a new showground to replace the Guildford Showgrounds. The Royal Agricultural S ...

in 1905, when it became the

Perth Royal Show The Perth Royal Show is an annual agricultural show held in Perth, Western Australia at the Claremont Showground. It features informational exhibits, agricultural competitions and animal showcases, a sideshow alley and rides, and showbags. It ...

. In 1907, a range of other agricultural societies merged. Despite the action, separate agricultural societies remain throughout the state.

Agricultural Hall of Fame

In 1999 the ''Agricultural Hall of Fame'' was established by the Society, to honour "the men and women who have significantly contributed to Western Australian agriculture and pastoral life." Each year since then (other than 2016), inductees have been chosen by a selection panel (after being nominated by members of the public) and has had their portraits commissioned and hung in David Buttfield House at Claremont Showground. The Hall of Fame was established after then-President, Lou Giglia, visited the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame and was inspired by Peggy Knapp, the president of that organisation, to start a similar programme in Western Australia. David Buttfield House was refurbished, and the collection of portraits are on permanent display. The gallery is open to the public during the Royal Show, and at select other times during the year. The RASWA, as it has also been known, has survived substantial change in agriculture and agricultural practices in Western Australia in its history, and was able to celebrate with the publication of a book detailing this history in 2004.

Publications

* Showtalk WA: official newsletter of the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia, 1988–2001 * RASWA link: official newsletter of the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia, 2002–2018

Catalogues and rules

* Catalogues (1899–2002), minutes, list of judges, programmes (1965–1971) * Rules of the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia, 1921 * The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia (Incorporated) rules, 1951 * RASWA Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees 1999–2018

Hall of Fame Inductees

* 1999: James Drummond(1787-1863) * 2000: Charles Harper,

Walter Harper Walter Harper (1893 – October 25, 1918) was an Alaska Native mountain climber and guide. On Saturday, 7 June 1913, he was the first person to reach the summit of Denali (Mount McKinley), the highest mountain in North America. He was followed by ...

, Marjorie Winifred Leslie Lewis BEM (1906–1992),

Eric Underwood Eric John Underwood AO, CBE (7 September 1905 – 19 August 1980) was an Australian scientist who pioneered research into sheep nutrition and wool production. Personal life Underwood was born in Harlington, Middlesex, England on 7 September 1 ...

(1905-1980), Dr John Sylvester Gladstones AM (1932–), and Sir Donald Payze Eckersley OBE (1922–2009) * 2001: Maud Dempster (1861–1953), Harry Walter Gayfer AM (1925–), Friederich Wilhelm Gustar Liebe (1862–1950), Sir Ernest Thorley Loton (1895–1973), Eric Smart, John Teasdale, Reginald John Moir AO (1918–2004), Euphemia Mackintosh (1826–1921) * 2002: Harold William Bennetts (1898-1970),

Rica Erickson Frederica Lucy "Rica" Erickson , née Sandilands, (10 August 1908 – 8 September 2009) was an Australian naturalist, botanical artist, historian, author and teacher. Without any formal scientific training, she wrote extensively on botany and b ...

(1908-2009), Percival Dicey Forrest OBE (1889–1960), Peter Bruce Lefroy (1916–1999), William Colin Kennedy Pearse CBE (1911–2001), Laurence Cecil Snook (1909–1998) * 2003: Jane Swain Adams,

Basil Embry Air Chief Marshal Sir Basil Edward Embry, (28 February 1902 – 7 December 1977) was a senior Royal Air Force commander. He was Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command from 1949 to 1953. Early life and career Basil Embry was born in Gloucester ...

, Sir Edward Henry Bruce Lefroy (1887–1966), Harry Perkins (1939-2002) * 2004: George Henry Burvill (1908–1992), Diana Madeline Cullen (1923–2003), Basil Eric Ripp (1927–2009), John Thomson, Thomas Henry Wilding (1867–1954) * 2005: Jack Mann (1906–1989), Joze Zekulich (1907–2014), Dr George Lowe Sutton CMG (1872–1964) * 2006: Dr Henry Paul Schapper (1918–2010), Edgar Noel Fitzpatrick AM (1929–), Kevin Patrick Hogan OAM (1933–) * 2007: Claude Roderick Cyril Toop (1901–1969), Dr John Gojko Radunovich OAM (1932–2014), James Harcourt Jim Shepherd AO (1927–2014) * 2008: Peter Mckenzie Falconer OAM (1932–), Clive Vincent Malcolm (1933–2006), Warren Marwich (1869–1955) * 2009: Gregory William Henderson (1929–), Robert Bryce Hays-Thompson BEM OAM MDM (1921–2018), William Padbury (1867–1951) * 2010: Janette Floyd Foulkes-Taylor OAM (1940–), John Ernest Lane Cripps (1927–), Leslie Charles Eric Hitchcock (1926–2015), George Rex Edmondson (1937–) * 2011: Hartley Teakle, Ernie Bridge,

John Bennison John Bennison AM OBE (3 July 1924 – 6 May 2017) was an Australian businessman known for his long involvement with Wesfarmers. He began work at the company in 1954, and as managing director from 1974 to 1984 oversaw its transition from a farmer ...

* 2012: Luigi Alexander Giglia (1940–2018), David Roy Lindsay (1937–), Nicolas Trandos OAM (1934–) * 2013:

Walter Padbury Walter Padbury (22 December 1820 – 18 April 1907) was a British-born Australian pioneer, politician and philanthropist. Early Life Padbury was born in Stonesfield in the English county of Oxfordshire on 22 December 1820. At the age of 1 ...

Rosendo Salvado Rosendo Salvado Rotea OSB (1 March 1814 – 29 December 1900) was a Spanish Benedictine monk, missionary, bishop, author, founder and first abbot of the Territorial Abbey of New Norcia in Western Australia. Early life and background Salvado was ...

* 2014: Clive Macdonald Francis (1938–2012), Dawson Stanley Bradford (1944–) * 2015: Michael John Lloyd (1942–) * 2016: ''No inductee.'' * 2017: Peter James Trefort (1945–) * 2018: Alan David Robson (1945–), Eric Farleigh (1898–1988) * 2019: Ray Harrington (1947–) * 2020:

Ray Owen Raymond "Ray" Owen (birth registered third ¼ 1940 – 5 February 2006) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, and a chairman of the 1980s and 1990s. He played at club level for Widnes and Wakefield Trini ...

(1905–2003) * 2021: Graham Crosbie

References

External links

* {{official website
Official website of the Perth Royal Show
Organisations based in Australia with royal patronage Agricultural organisations based in Australia 1831 establishments in Australia Agriculture in Western Australia