Jon
Admin 
Posts: 6,913
|
Post by Jon on Nov 16, 2010 20:42:08 GMT
This was the second time the Devon County Agricultural Association held the Devon County Show at Plainmoor, the first being in 1882 when 29,738 'passed through the turnstiles'. That's not right! The 1882 show was held at Cockington, behind the railway station.  Attendance figures quoted in Trewmans were 26,960 in 1893 and 33,932 in 1882.  Interesting to see that the only way to attract a decent crowd to Plainmoor was to let kids in for free. I wonder how they promoted that offer.  I suppose that the figures support the commonly-held belief that an event staged within spitting distance of a train station will get bigger crowds than one "out of the way" up at Plainmoor. Barely a couple of years have ever passed in the entire history of TUFC without this piece of wisdom leading for a clamour to relocate to the Recreation Ground or Tor Valley North or even to Queen's Park Paignton or Newton Abbot Rec. |
|
Jon
Admin
Posts: 6,913
|
Post by Jon on Jul 31, 2011 20:27:06 GMT
|
|
Jon
Admin
Posts: 6,913
|
Post by Jon on Aug 21, 2012 22:35:26 GMT
A little more from May 1910:  |
|
Jon
Admin
Posts: 6,913
|
Post by Jon on Dec 1, 2012 11:56:32 GMT
Interesting "to let" advert from March 1887:  I would guess that the "4 to11 acres" is that there was a choice to lease just the field by the house (now the school) or that and the "football field". I've no idea how big an acre is, but would seven acres for the football field (i.e. current football ground+ swimming pool + car park + grass area behind family stand) be about right? Torquay Athletic were playing on the field at this time - although they were to be served notice to quit at Christmas 1887. Despite this, rugby carried on at Plainmoor (Torquay Wanderers, Torquay Juniors and even briefly Torquay United!) until 1892 when Tics returned permanently (or at least for twelve years) and built the first grandstand. Even more interesting is the list of stuff sold off by the outgoing occupant. A "heap of Manure" (with a capital m!). If you believe half of what some have written on here recently, you would say that nothing has changed!  |
|
rjdgull
TFF member
Admin
Posts: 12,232 
|
Post by rjdgull on Dec 1, 2012 12:07:31 GMT
About 2.47 acres to the hectare which is 10000 square metres i.e 100m x 100m.
So pitch and surrounds - a couple of acres?
|
|
Jon
Admin
Posts: 6,913
|
Post by Jon on Dec 1, 2012 13:09:55 GMT
I've no idea how big an acre is, but would seven acres for the football field (i.e. current football ground+ swimming pool + car park + grass area behind family stand) be about right? With the aid of google, I think seven acres could be about right. Not sure of the exact area of the field at the time, but a quick guess is probably not too far out. acme.com/planimeter/ |
|
