Big areas of green fields still lay close to the centre of the village. One of the most famous annual occasions in this farming district was the Carmunnock Cattle Show, an event supported by Laird Stirling Stuart. In the early years it was held in the Wee Park, an area of ground between Windlaw Road and the Glasgow Road. Then in 1922 the Council houses were built on the main part and for a while the Show was held further along at Bankpark in the fields beyond The Studio and Viewfield, before its eventual venue on the north Glebe on Waterside and Pathhead Roads.
In preparation for this June date, properties were spruced up and gardens planned to be at their most colourful. Carmunnock looked its best for this most important of summer days. No work was done in the village on the day of the Show. It was a complete holiday for everyone not involved in organising it.
Every household cooked the next night’s dinner the day before - traditionally steak pie and a cold pudding - ready to serve when the family came home from the Show in the evening. On the day, picnic lunches were prepared, you dressed in your finest attire and all was set for enjoying the fun. After the Show the farmers’ Whist Drive in the Castlemilk Hall was one of the biggest - and rowdiest - occasions of the whole year!
Mr. William Lawson who had been tenant farmer at Parklea (Kittochside Road) since 1885, and then his son Alexander following him, regularly won prizes for their cattle and, later, Championship Cups at Carmunnock’s Show, taking their last Cup in 1937. And it is interesting to include here that when Mr. James Clark farmed near Barrhead (father of Mr. James Clark till lately of Windlaw Farm), he frequently won prizes for his Clydesdale horses at some of this part of Scotland’s bigger Agriculture Shows.
Carmunnock Horticultural Society was established in 1876. Its annual Show, completing a year of interesting talks and demonstrations, was another highly important date in the village’s calendar, when flowers, plants, fruit, vegetables, floral arrangements, jam-making, baking and hand-crafts were judged for prizes.
It is interesting that in the Exhibition Schedule of 3rd September, 1910, we read that the Patrons of the Horticultural Society were:
Mr. and Mrs William Crawfurd Stirling Stuart of Milton and Castlemilk.
Mr. A. Crum Maclae, Cathkin.
Mrs Alexander Brown, The Craigs.
Mr. and Mrs William Roberton, Holmglen.
Rev George Gillan, Carmunnock.
Mr. and Mrs John Dempster, Craigmiln.
Mr. and Mrs George Gordon, Linnbrae.
R. Findlay, Cathkin.
William Strang, The Peel.
Mr. and Mrs D. B. Adam, Craigsheen.
Mrs Alexander Watt, Carnbooth, and others.
The Chairman of the Committee was Mr. George Gordon, the Honorary Secretary, R. Jamieson, and the Committee Members were A. Borland, R. Inglis, Wm. Johnstone, J. Millar, Charles Coulter and James Fairlie. (It should be pointed out that although the Agricultural or Cattle Show continued after 1918, the Horticultural fell away during the 1914-18 war. The present Horticultural Society was not inaugurated until 1948, holding its first show in 1949.)
On a different seasonal subject: soon after Show-time when the corn fields were harvested, the Laird sent a hay cart up to the village and to any housewife who would pay a few pence, the foreman handed out rabbits shot when the corn was cut. If the rabbits weren’t as fresh as they should have been, angry cat-calls were shouted after the poor hard-working cartsman. Mostly the meat was good, however, and many a Carmunnock household enjoyed a wholesome dinner of rabbit stew. What’s more, if the cartsman happened to be around on those days, he was allowed to sample the tasty dish.