b'year or two, Bishop Wilton are busily getting a concerthad her golden wedding. Members arranged a party together again. surprise party for her, and bought her a garden seat The institute is very much a centre of social life.as a present. Later Mrs Longhorn invited 50 of them There is a piano in the schoolroom now, but Mrsto a party in return [see photograph below].Longhorn remembers that when they first held a whist drive and dance, there was no piano. After much discussion they sent across the fields to borrow one,The WI movement began at Stoney Creek and it arrived just in time for the dance, by horse- in Canada in 1897 when Adelaide Hoodless drawn cart! That whist drive and dance raised theaddressed a meeting for the wives of members hitherto unheard of sum of 30. of the Farmers Institute. The first British WI Paraffin lamps meeting took place on 16 September 1915 at Paraffin lamps provided the lighting in the earlyLlanfairpwll on Anglesey in North Wales. The days, and the kettle for the supper that follows everyWI was originally set up in the UK to revitalise meeting was boiled on the open fire. Now electricityrural communities and to encourage women has been installed and the water is heated by anto become more involved in producing food electric urn. during the First World War. During the war they had a jam centre where theyOnce the war was over, the newly formed made and sold jam. Their canning club, too, wasWIs began to concentrate on planning always in great demand. Members took the canningprogrammes of activities to suit their members. machine to different houses where they canned fruit.This new organisation attracted members from Now there is no longer the acute shortage of tinnedthe Lady of the Manor to her housemaid and fruit the canning machine is not in such demand. cook, from the local shop-keeper to the wife of Forces parcels the farm labourer.Members knitted more than 1,000 ounces of woolWorking together in the WI helped to - much of it donated - into garments for the comfortsbreak down the social barriers between fund. One member, who knitted clothes for people incountrywomen who had rarely met together occupied countries, said ruefully: I knitted a numberin the past. Women had now received the of pink jerseys and trousers, and I felt so sorry for thevote (at least those over 30) and the National little boys who had to wear that colour, but it was theFederation of Womens Institutes (NFWI) was only wool we had. anxious to encourage women to become They sent parcels twice a year to every man inactive citizens.the village in the Forces. One of their concerts duringFrom the History section ofWings Week raised 70. www.womens-institute.co.ukThe happy relationship between members was shown recently when founder member Mrs Longhorn Mr and Mrs Longhorn (centre, seated) celebrating their 50th Wedding AnniversaryBULLETIN 16 291'