A small pink card with a picture of a rabbit is all we have in the collection now but there was a time when rabbit shows were a big thing in the village. Chris Cranwell, who lived in Crawley End, recalls his memories of keeping rabbits as a boy.
“Yes dad and I had the rabbits between us, his were the Black and White Dutch and he also had Blue Beveren, and mine were New Zealand Reds. Both won prizes but my buck George normally swept the board. George lived a long time and would follow you round like an dog. One of dad’s beverens was easygoing and gentle unless she had kittens where if approached to clean or check kittens health etc she had to be handled wearing motor cycle gauntlets!”
In the late 1940s the village shop, which was then on the green, was run by the Leech family. You can see the two daughters in the school photo of 1949. Apparently Mr Leech ran the local rabbit shows and at the back of the shop there were rows of rabbit hutches known as ‘Rhylestone Rabbitries’. (You can read more about the shop here)
Chris didn’t remember the shop link but says the rabbit shows were quite frequent:
“I cannot recall there being a premise at the shop site. Shows which were quite frequent were held in the school, a tent in Jigneys and often the large barn at Martinholme. Shows were also held at the Corn Exchange, Market Hill, Royston.”
If anyone else has any records of the rabbit shows, do let us know. It sounds like it was quite the village activity!
Chris lived in Chrishall as a child at what is now Primrose Cottage in Crawley End. You can see a picture of the cottage on this page.
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