Agricultural Fête at Romford

The rain sadly spoiled what would otherwise have been quite a brilliant agricultural fête at Romford on Tuesday. The Essex County Show was held in Mr. Macintosh's park at The Marshalls, near that town, and its owner won the head prize in the bull-calf class with his Grand Duke of Essex, by Third Grand Duke, from Lady Bates 2nd, and two or three more with his shorthorns and dairy cows. His recent American purchases, Third Duke of Thorndale and Lady Oxford the Fourth, were on the ground, in very fair condition after their sea trip, and were much admired. Mr. Jonas Webb won the head cow prize with Miss Emily, and the £15 Challenge Prize for all England with his massive bull Sir Charles, of the Knightley blood, beating a large and good lot, which included the county celebrity Comedian, purchased for 105 guineas at Mr. Adkins' sale by Messrs. Bramston, M.P., and Christy. Mr. Crisp's eleven-year-old Suffolk sire was the £25 champion against all England; and the pigs were very excellent, and far beyond the sheep. The band of the Coldstream Guards "came special;" and the ladies, with whom draggled dresses were rather the order of the day, sheltered themselves under the groups of trees and in the flower-show tent, as well as they could, while they listened to their strains.