Royal Welsh Agricultural Society has celebrated its 120th anniversary at the Houses of Parliament.

On 26 February 1904, a gathering of influential landowners came together to form the Welsh National Agricultural Society – an organisation that would later become the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

The meeting to form the society took place in Committee Room 12 in the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. 120 years to the day later, in that very room, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society celebrated the history of the organisation and how it has grown to host one of the largest agricultural shows in Europe, the Royal Welsh Show.

Curators from the National Library of Wales presented a selection of archive material including a minute book relating to the first meeting, the first journal, entry forms and catalogue from the first show held in Aberystwyth in 1904.

Several archived photographs of the Royal Welsh Show and other historic artefacts such as balance sheets, council reports, the original membership form, leaflets, and pamphlets were also on display.

Guests heard from National Library of Wales director of communications Rhian Gibson and curators from the Department of Archives and Manuscripts and Photographic Collection.

Ms Gibson said: “The Welsh National Library and the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, in the decades since their founding, have worked relentlessly to preserve and enrich the land and heritage of Wales, to ensure that it is there for generations to come. We must continue with this invaluable, crucial, and important work.”

RWAS chief executive Aled Rhys Jones, chair of council Nicola Davies and chair of board of directors Professor Wynne Jones spoke about the past, present, and future of the society, and plans to develop the 150-acre site in Llanelwedd.

“We see our role as a society bridging the divide between rural and urban communities, engaging with the public, raising awareness of food production, fostering a better understanding and appreciation of the wider value of agriculture, and growing public confidence in our industry,” said Mr Rhys Jones.