Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society Archive

Minute books, including press cuttings, articles, lists of members and subscribers, accounts, schedules of show prizes, lists of blooms and related papers, 1907-1954; oral history interviews, with consent forms and transcripts, 2011-2014.

The Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society (WNETS) was established in 1836, although its true origins lie some years earlier with the formation of the Wakefield Florists Society, later the Wakefield Tulip Society, in 1807. Its first meeting and show was held at the Grand Stand, Outwood, on 27 April of that year.
In 1836 Abraham Holmes was appointed secretary of the then Wakefield Florists Society and subsequent annual shows were numbered from this date, leading to the common acceptance of this year as the year the Society was established. It is notable that many of the earliest members were bootmakers, cordwainers and shoemakers by profession.
The Society is believed to have changed its name to the Wakefield Tulip Society c.1860, as interest in other flowers began to wane, and subsequently to the Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society. Following the closure of the Royal National Tulip Society in 1936, WNETS is the last remaining society specialising in tulips, in particular English Florists' Tulips.
Today the WNETS holds an annual show with classes in English Florists' and Dutch Tulips. It has also recently revived its Dutch Tulip Show which is held annually at the Harrogate Spring Show. Membership is by subscription and members receive a yearly newsletter and take part in Garden Visit Days.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 2013 by the Society. A further addition was made to the archive in 2014.

The Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society (WNETS) was established in 1836, although its true origins lie some years earlier with the formation of the Wakefield Florists Society, later the Wakefield Tulip Society, in 1807. Its first meeting and show was held at the Grand Stand, Outwood, on 27 April of that year.
In 1836 Abraham Holmes was appointed secretary of the then Wakefield Florists Society and subsequent annual shows were numbered from this date, leading to the common acceptance of this year as the year the Society was established. It is notable that many of the earliest members were bootmakers, cordwainers and shoemakers by profession.
The Society is believed to have changed its name to the Wakefield Tulip Society c.1860, as interest in other flowers began to wane, and subsequently to the Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society. Following the closure of the Royal National Tulip Society in 1936, WNETS is the last remaining society specialising in tulips, in particular English Florists' Tulips.
Today the WNETS holds an annual show with classes in English Florists' and Dutch Tulips. It has also recently revived its Dutch Tulip Show which is held annually at the Harrogate Spring Show. Membership is by subscription and members receive a yearly newsletter and take part in Garden Visit Days.

This material has not yet been catalogued, please contact the Borthwick Institute for more information.

The oral history interviews are in digital WAV format. Access to digital records may be restricted due to technical requirements. Please contact the Borthwick Institute for further information.

Created by Gaby Davies, 16.08.16.

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

Further accruals are expected.

Many of the records of the WNETS have been digitised and transcribed on the WNETS Archive project website: http://wnets.org.uk/

Published

GB193