History behind century-old Royal Easter Show trophy, photo

The Governor-General's Cup for the Commonwealth District Competition was won by South Coast and Tablelands which earned 825 points (out of a possible 1000), a mere four ahead of Western, while Murrumbidgee and Central Queensland also competed.

Because it was donated by Sir Walter Davidson specifically for the Centenary Royal Show and was not a perpetual trophy, it went to J.S. "Stan" Monaghan, the first Shoalhaven man to be appointed manager by the South Coast Agricultural Societies' Union which agreed that he should keep the cup.

For the past 102 years it has been in the custody of Monaghan family members who have kept it safe but Stan's grandson, Philip Monaghan decided that now was the right time to give it a new home.

A fourth-generation committeeman, Phil served virtually non-stop from 1973 until 2000, and after time as carparking steward and industrial steward, he succeeded his brother as program co-ordinator, holding the position for nine years.

His life membership was conferred in 1989.

His grandfather, Stan had conducted a farm produce store opposite Nowra School of Arts before gaining an auctioneer's licence and becoming a founding partner in the firm of Walsh & Monaghan (which has recently celebrated its centenary).

He was elected to the A&H committee prior to the 1917 show, and the following year was manager of one of the entries in the North v South exhibit in the pavilion.

That paved the way for him to take the role for the region in Sydney.

Positions on the committee were eagerly sought, and in 1920 there were 37 nominations with 30 to be elected.

Topping the poll with 208 votes, Stan was subsequently made a showground trustee, and he would regularly feature in the top handful at the annual elections.

He was appointed South Coast manager prior to the 1921 Royal Show when the exhibit was placed third some 50 points behind the winner, but that made him determined to do better at the centenary event.

After visiting all corners of the region, he brought together a team of 35 assistants including his wife Alice, and South Coast Agricultural Union secretary John Beatson.

Inspired by their leader in the task that took the whole year, they all developed a steely determination to succeed.

The South Coast court was designed by former Shoalhaven A&H president William Graham who had done it the previous year, and Nowra signwriter Joe Rainford.

Once the team assembled at the showground, members worked more than 13 hours each day to prepare the exhibit that was described by the Sydney Morning Herald:

"The exhibit occupies the southern court of those set apart for the staging of the displays. The facade of the court presents a very pleasing appearance. Its top elevation, together with the supporting columns, is executed in Merino wool, the name of the district, with the dates 1822-1922 and the various form lines, being picked out in black. Festoons of apples and a row of cob-corn lend the necessary touch of colour. The lower elevation consists of a waist high fence constructed of maize stalks. At the rear of the court is an alcove of wool with root vegetables, tubers and grasses displayed on either side. The above is surmounted by a large, long-fleeced stuffed ram. The remaining floor space of the court is occupied by tables of preserves, jams, jellies, honey, grain and other produce. A large revolving table is stacked with a pyramid of various kinds of fruit."

The judging was extremely close in the 11 divisions, with five judges giving the honours to Southern and five to Western, with the other being tied.

However superior fruits, vegetables and roots where it won by 22 points, and dairy produce where it was 12 ahead, gave South Coast and Tablelands the overall victory for the sixth time.

Its area was said to include every possible degree of climate in NSW, and contributions to the exhibit came from Bulli to Pambula on the coast, and from Narellan to Delegate on the tablelands.

A mainstay from the Nowra district was Miss Garnet Moss (known as "Gem") who for several years had provided crystallised fruit - her collection including apples, pears, figs, pineapple, strawberries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, grapes and various types of plums, along with dried figs and ginger - which were invariably given a mention by the metropolitan press.

One of the more unusual items was the hat made from the fibre of a cabbage-tree palm by 84-year-old widow, Margaret Morrow of Wattamolla, that contained more than 20,000 hand stitches.

When it was awarded first prize at the recent Nowra Show it had been admired by Dame Margaret Davidson (wife of the Governor General) and it was to be presented to her at the completion of the Royal Show.

In previous years South Coast had not included tropical products, but William Purdie took up the challenge and provided eight varieties of sugar-cane along with paw-paws, pineapples and bananas all grown on his Cabbage Tree Flat property adjacent to the Shoalhaven River.

Bacon and hams were mostly from the Nowra district, while most butter factories on the coast were represented.

With the area known for its richness in both natural and imported grasses, the exhibit included over 200 varieties, including 112 of wheat and 62 of oats.

There were 150 types of maize with show-goers amazed at the 15-inch cobs; and the 87 varieties of potato came from the Robertson district and the Far South Coast.

The unnamed maker of 176 bottles of jams and jellies was almost certainly Myrtle Abberton of Figtree, a woman still in her 20s who was among the most prolific coastal exhibitors of pickles, preserves, jams and jellies for which she would win 6000 prizes before her 30th birthday.

At the conclusion of the show, Stan Monaghan was called on to respond to a toast to The District Exhibitors at the wind-up banquet where he told the 500 guests that "the most pleasing feature connected with the winning exhibit which he represented was that every little centre in the area had contributed something of its best to make the exhibit a success".

He was subsequently praised at the Shoalhaven A&H annual meeting by which time he had decided to step down from the position of manager; and in the following July his labours and organising abilities were recognised during a social at Nowra.

Among the complimentary speeches was one by James Horgan who would succeed him, and Mr Rainford presented the illuminated address signed by his team of assistants, after reading the text:

"Your helpers and friends in connection with the recent South Coast and Tablelands exhibit wish to convey to you their hearty appreciation of the energy and zeal displayed by you in organising and staging the winning district exhibit on the occasion of the Royal Agricultural Society's Centenary Show of 1922. Your knowledge of agriculture and farm produce stamps you as an expert. Your personality and kindness as head of the undertaking has endeared you to us all, and we feel in duty bound to openly express our gratitude and pleasure in some substantial form. We trust your good self, Mrs Monaghan and children will enjoy happiness and prosperity, and live long to enjoy the blessings you so richly merit. In token of great sincerity and of happy recollections we subscribe ourselves."

Stan suggested to the A&H committee that the effort he put into the district exhibit had taken 10 years off his life, but he continued to support his successor.

As ground steward, he allocated space for sideshows at the Nowra Show and served on its committee until the 1928 show, after which a health issue forced him to step down.

He left the district in 1933 to take on a farm in the Crookwell district, but that venture did not last and he returned to Nowra.

His death at the age of 71 occurred on Boxing Day 1949.