South  Coast  Area
Area Representative : vacant

7^th. October 2018
Obituary - Bill Squibb

We are very sorry to announce that Bill Squibb has passed away aged 87 after a long illness.
A keen and excellent grower of both pots and blooms he joined the Society in 1980 (after being a big fushia grower and exhibitor).
He was an active member of the South Coast Area and a top grower winning many awards and contributing to the large displays we used to stage for over 25 years.
He loved his begonias and exhibited his blooms at several of the National Shows and the London Show until its demise. He dabbled with hybridizing and named a lovely basket variety 'ISABELLA' which is still highly regarded.
He was always a popular and jovial member who made many Begonia friends up and down the country and was always keen to try new varieties.
He will be sadly missed and our sympathies go out to wife Wyn and family.

                                                                                                                                                          Dave Coates and Brian Simmons

It was with great sadness that I heard from Martin Squibb, Bill’s son that his Dad had passed away after a long illness. He had been admitted to hospital three months ago, before going into a care home just a short while ago.
Bill exhibited for many years at his local Area Show at Porchester and at the N B S National. I first met Bill at the South Coast Area Show in 2005, where he exhibited cut blooms and this is when I first saw Isabella- a pendula that Bill had hybridised. It looked stunning. Isabella, is probably one of the best Pendula Begonias ever and is exhibited throughout the U K; and worldwide.
Bill was a kind hearted man- liked by everyone. The N B S has once again lost a lovely character who will be missed by all who knew him.
                     On behalf of The National Begonia Society, we send our condolences to his wife and family.

                                                                                                                                                                       Ian Rhys Williams.

2016

The South Coast Show
Will take place this year at Crookhorn College of Technology, Purbrook on Sunday 21^st. August
 This has been negotiated with the NBS committee and Purbrook Horticultural Commitee.
NBS Judges: Chris and Sandra Davies

 In the absence of an Area Rep and venue we had exhibitors that still wanted to show. In order to achieve this
 we approached Purbrook and agreed the South Coast Area Show would form part of their show.

                                                                                                                                                                              Robert Bryce,  Secretary

Staging 4.30pm - 8pm Saturday 20^th and 8.00 - 10.15 Sunday 21^st
Full details will be available on the Purbrook Horticultural Society website
or sae to Show Secretary Charles Mobsby.  17 Padnell Road, Cowplain PO8 8DZ.
Please note
 Shows run by the PHS are open to all.
 The usual trophies and NBS medals will be available to members of the National Begonia Society only. 

2015

AREA SHOW
Havant Wyevale Garden Centre
Bartons Road Havant, Hampshire  PO5 9NA
Saturday 25^th. July.
Judge: Ian Rhys Williams
SCHEDULE          PICTURES          RESULTS

MEETINGS
Last Tuesday of every month at Havant Wyevale Garden Centre.
The first will be at 3.00pm on Tuesday 24^th February, the last 25^th August..
The meetings will be for members and non-members.

2014

AREA SHOW
Havant Garden Centre 
Saturday 26^th. July.  Further details available shortly.
Judge: Ian Rhys Williams
SCHEDULE          ENTRY FORM          RESULTS          PICTURES 

Show Secretary:   Kevin Myerscough
4 The Crescent, Waterlooville, Hants   PO7 5EU     Tel: 02392 233569

2013

AREA SHOW
Havant Garden Centre 
Saturday 27^th. & Sunday 28^th. July.
Judge Dave Staines
   Classes for 6-cut blooms,3 cut-blooms,1 cut-bloom, 1 pot, 1 pot & 1 cut-bloom and 1 pot restricted.
details & schedule from davidcoates3@sky.com     Tel: 02392 210846.

RESULTS          PICTURES

2012
NEW VENUE FOR SOUTH COAST SHOW
Because of the current problems with fuchsias (fuchsia mite) the Solent Fuchsia Club
will not be holding their Show at Titchfield this year.

We are very pleased therefore to announce that
Havant Garden Centre
 have kindly agreed to host our show
Saturday 28^th. & Sunday 29^th. July.
   Classes for 6-cut blooms,3 cut-blooms,1 cut-bloom, 1 pot, 1 pot & 1 cut-bloom and 1 pot restricted.
details from davidcoates3@sky.com     Tel: 02392 210846.
SCHEDULE          RESULTS          PICTURES

November   2011   GOLD MEDAL AWARD FOR SOUTH COAST FOUNDER MEMBER
  I am greatly honoured to receive this Award that our Society has bestowed upon me.  A part of it must belong to the many members who  supported me through our wonderful years at Southsea and now with articles and pictures for this website. Along the way I have made lots of friends and probably would have made many more if I had travelled to the shows. It is your support that has kept me going and hopefully it will continue into the future. Next year will be the 10th. anniversary of our website and I would like to make it a bumper one please, without your contributions there would be no website.
   An added bonus was to have the Medal presented to me by my good friend Dave Coates as we have been associated together in our Society’s activities for so many years. The fact that Dave is the current National Champion also has added a little extra status to the occasion.
   Many thanks to Dave's wife Pauline for the excellent buffet lunch. 

                   
.

2011
SOUTH COAST AREA
AREA SHOW
at the
Solent Fuchsia Club Show on Saturday 30^th. July
 Titchfield Community Centre which is approx. 4 miles from our previous venue in Portchester located just west of Fareham.
Judge Dave Staines
SCHEDULE          RESULTS          PICTURES

   Classes for 6-cut blooms,3 cut-blooms,1 cut-bloom, 1 pot, 1 pot & 1 cut-bloom and 1 pot restricted.
 The show opens at 10 am and also incorporates displays of Orchids and Pelargoniums.

Details from davidcoates3@sky.com or new phone number 02392210846.

2010
SOUTH COAST  AREA SHOW.

Dear Members,

   I tried to include the following in the bulletin just before going on holiday but unfortunately after changing my provider I inserted the wrong E Mail address for Derek and needless to say he never received it.

   Although I have stood down as the South Coast Area Rep. I am still keen on my begonia growing and have arranged for us to stage 4 classes of begonia at the
Solent Fuchsia Club Show on the Saturday 31^st. July at Titchfield Community Centre which is approx. 4 miles from our previous venue in Portchester located just west of Fareham.

   The classes are for 6 cut blooms,3 cut blooms,1 cut bloom, 1pot and 1 pot restricted. The show opens at 10 am and also incorporates displays of Alpines, Bonsai, Orchids and Cacti   Most of our old exhibitors from the South Coast area show are growing for this new venue so we hope to fill the 6 tables we have been allocated. If any of our members are interested in exhibiting or visiting they can contact me on my new E Mail address davidcoates3@sky.com or my new phone number 02392 210846.

   We hope to keep the flag flying for the begonia and who knows we may encourage a few of the fuchsia growers to try their hand at begonias and if successful we may be able to increase our classes next year.

Dave Coates

2010
Area Representative Dave Coates has stepped down after 21 years.
We are extremely grateful to Dave for his sterling service to the Society.
Not only an expert grower and exhibitor, the results of his hybridizing are widely to be found on the
show-benches.

DAVE'S INTRODUCTIONS INCLUDE:
Nichola Coates, Vera Coates, Pauline Coates, Emily Rose, Fantasia, Fanfare, Gypsy, Geoff Bizley, Portchester.

Unfortunately there will not be a South Coast  Meeting this year.

2009 EVENTS

SOUTH COAST AREA SHOW
Saturday ^1st.  August
Judge: Alan Harris
SCHEDULE          RESULTS          PICTURES
New class for 3 Pots non-tuberous 

MEETINGS
Sunday 26^th. April 2.30pm  -  Spring Meeting, Speaker John Taylor

Show & Meetings are held at
Portchester Parish Hall.  100yds up Castle Street, from A27, Portchester, Hants.

2008 EVENTS

SOUTH COAST AREA SHOW
Saturday 2^nd. & Sunday 3^rd. August
Judge: Alan Harris
SCHEDULE          RESULTS          PICTURES

MEETINGS
Sunday 27^th. April 2.30pm  -  Spring Meeting
Sunday 2^nd. November 2.30pm - Autumn Meeting

Show & Meetings are held at
Portchester Parish Hall.  100yds up Castle Street, from A27, Portchester, Hants.

  We are shocked and saddened to report the death of Pete Spreadbury, only 3 months after his wife passed away.  Pete was a prominent and active member of our local group for many years,  he will especially be remembered for the hours he and wife Irene spent  tending our sales table at the Southsea Show.  As their children grew up they too came to help, making the sales area very much a family affair. Pete and Irene were also keen exhibitors.

2007 EVENTS

SOUTH COAST AREA SHOW
Saturday 4^th. & Sunday 5^th. August
SCHEDULE     RESULTS     PICTURES

MEETINGS
Sunday 22^rd. April 2.30pm  -  Spring Meeting Speaker John Chiswell.
Sunday 4^th. November 2.30pm  - Speaker John Chiswell.

Show & Meetings are held at
Portchester Parish Hall.  100yds up Castle Street, from A27, Portchester, Hants.

We are sad to learn of the death of Irene Spreadbury after a long illness.
Irene, known to us all as Rene, was a very active member at the  Southsea Show for many years.  In addition to exhibiting her particular like was caring for the charity pool and sales table.

Autumn  Meeting.  Sunday 4th. November  2007
   A disappointingly small attendance of 28 members came to our Autumn Meeting. It is of some concern that, in common with other local Specialist Horticultural Societies, our numbers are slowly dwindling. On a more positive note Area Representative Dave Coates announced the dates for next years events and thanked everyone for another successful Show. Although local entries were minimal we just about managed to stage a very presentable display.
   John Chiswell was the afternoon's main speaker giving the second part of his excellent presentation on begonia culture. This was preceded by the presentation of Show Trophies by Society Archivist and Judge Dave Staines.  Many thanks to the wives who provided and served free tea and cakes. Also to those who donated raffle prizes.   

Spring Meeting.  Sunday 22nd. April  2007
   32 members and friends attended our Spring Meeting.  This was a slightlly disappointing figure possibly due to the exceptionally fine afternoon and the fact that Dave's notes did not appear in the current Society bulletin.  It is a worrying fact however that our Area is in decline, the majority of members now attending are from well outside local boundaries.. Those who did attend included Chairman Len Gill and Archivist Dave Staines with his wife Mag.
   John Chiswell (currently featuring on this website) was the afternoon's main speaker, his talk illustrated with slides.  Unfortunately the second half of his excellent narration was brought to an untimely end by an electrical failure.  However John has now promised to return in the autumn.
   The Meeting also included a demonstration by Dave Thomas of his method of exterior shading panels made from louvre blind strips.
 

Dave Coates (right) introduces Andrew MacDougall.

Mrs Doris Hilton, wife of South Coast Area founder member Pop Hilton  has passed away aged 100 (almost 101).  Pop died over 20 years ago but Doris continued growing begonias until very recently.   It was their experience in staging displays of begonias that established our activities at the Southsea Show.

Autumn Meeting.  Sunday 6th. November  2005
  Definitely one of our most successful meetings in recent years, with over 50 members attending from a wide area.  At the end of the afternoon an extremely pleased Dave Coates ( Area Representative) stated that in his opinion the downturn in recent years has now been reversed and the future looks very positive.  The success of our new Show, new members, and the promise of several more exhibitors next year all contribute to a bright outlook.
  Dave opened the meeting by summarising our year's activities and thanking everyone involved for contributing to an excellent Show, he then invited National Secretary Alan Harris to present the trophies.
  Our speaker for the afternoon was East Anglian Area Representative and Membership Secretary John Taylor.  John's illustrated talks are always very informative, clear and entertaining. The first half dealt with begonia problems and then following our usual tea break he continued with slides of his recent visit to New Zealand.

August 2005 - Our new Show a great success - Report & Pictures