22 nostalgic photos from more than 100 years of the Shrewsbury Flower Show

With less than a week to go until the return of the Shrewsbury Flower Show, we've taken a dive through the archives to celebrate 137 years of floral festivities.

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By Megan Jones

Published Aug 4

Last updated Aug 4

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Undated. Credit: Geoff Charles Collection held at the National Library of Wales

The Shrewsbury Flower Show is the longest running flower show of its kind - officially recognised in the Guinness Book of Records.

But the celebration has its roots much further back in time, with the Salop Horticultural Society hosting Carnation and Gooseberry Show in the Frankwell back in 1836.

By 1887, the show had set up permanently in The Quarry and began to feature a range of entertainment including tight rope walkers and tethered balloon rides.

A balloon at Shrewsbury Flower Show, with the people on the picture seemingly inviting punters to get in the basket. Undated. Credit: Geoff Charles Collection held at the National Library of Wales

Famously, one balloon broke free in 1906 and came down at Knightley on the Staffordshire border.

A tethered balloon which escaped from Shrewsbury Flower Show in 1906 and came down at Knightley, on the Staffordshire border

The show has attracted many important visitors over the years, including a visit from Queen Mary in 1927.