Introduction
Monthly meetings continued to be held on Thursday afternoons, alternately at the Four Crosses and the Grapes Assembly Rooms only, as numbers were poor at Montford Bridge. The membership was around 40 with 12 members on the committee.
By the end of 1934 it was decided to sing Jerusalem at each meeting. And in 1936 “We have Mrs Bishop to thank for a gramophone record of ‘Jerusalem’ which we shall find very nice to keep up our Institute song”.
They had a wide variety of speakers. There were talks on village drama, the RSPCA, gardening, poultry, the ‘National Milk Publicity Council’ on the value of milk as a food and in 1933 the Mayor of Hereford gave an account of her trip to the West Indies.
Also there were plenty of demonstrations: of hairdressing and care of the hair; an “instructive and enjoyable” demonstration of soft slipper making; a very enjoyable demonstration of paper flower making; an interesting demonstration on loose covers; a demonstration on ‘new felt hats for old’; a Singer sewing machine demonstration; a lecture and demonstration on cheap joints and how to cook them and a cookery demonstration of amber pudding and sweet & savoury omelettes.
In May 1931 they invited members of the Alberbury & Wattlesborough WI to join them when “Miss Petty, the ‘Pudding Lady’ gave a demonstration on cooking and a witty talk on diet and health. Among other things, the lecturer extolled the virtues of cabbage water, which is too often thrown away, instead of being drunk to avert rheumatic aches and pains. The dishes demonstrated, Saturday pudding, apple and currant pudding and saucer cake, were much sought after in the subsequent auction, and Miss Petty was accorded a hearty vote of thanks”.
Note: Miss Florence Petty was a Scottish social worker, cookery writer and broadcaster. She ran cookery demonstrations for working class women to get them in the habit of cooking inexpensive and nutritious food. Much of the instruction was done in the women's homes, to demonstrate how to use their own limited equipment and utensils. Because she taught the women firstly how to make suet puddings – plain, sweet and meat – her students nicknamed her "The Pudding Lady".
(text and photo from Wikipedia – for more information see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Petty)
Social half hour
This was a part of each meeting, and it seems a different member was responsible for this each month. Examples in 1931 were Miss Hume accompanying some singing and Miss Annie Teece giving a recitation. On another occasion Miss Teece’s troupe caused much amusement with their sketch ‘Women’s Rights’. There were bulb competitions – one hyacinth bulb each.
They held interesting debates – in 1933 the debate on ‘Should Women Smoke’ was carried by 15 votes to 12. The debate in 1936 ‘to slim or not to slim’ was won by the non-slimmers. Another debate ‘should wives have salaries’ caused a little discussion as to the difference in meaning of salaries and wages, but the winning votes were that they should have salaries. In 1937 a debate ‘should spinsters have pensions at 65’ was lost 7 votes to 4.
There were often had ‘surprise items’ such as a short whist drive and a novel guessing competition.
Not surprisingly members were keen crafters. Mention is made of a great variety of handicraft articles being displayed and “a good show of needlework done by members over the winter months” – a tradition we still follow today.
There were monthly competitions – examples being the best bunch of wild flowers, the best plate of mince pies, the best twelve articles for the medicine chest and in 1935 Mrs Montgomery had the prize for the best cured rabbit skin!
In 1931 a committee was formed to run monthly competitions, and to give awards at the end of the year for the highest aggregate marks and for the greatest number of entries. In 1938 it was agreed a prize for the most points gained in competitions should be given annually and bought from WI funds.
Whist drives and rummage sales were a popular way to raise funds quickly for the Institute, charities or causes during the war.
There were extra meetings on occasions – in 1933 there was a Lantern Lecture at 8pm of slides of Burma, by Lady Giles; admission was 6d, children 3d. Some back seats were also 3d for latecomers and boys!
To give a flavour of a summer garden meeting, here is the Chronicle report of June 1939:
Through the kindness of Mrs I Cooke the monthly meeting was held in the grounds of her home Sunnybank Bicton Heath, ideal weather conditions prevailing. Miss G Lee presided over the business part and gave a report on the Group Conference. The agenda for the annual conference in London was discussed, Miss Lee being the delegate. It was decided that the annual outing should take place on 27th June to Barmouth.
Afterwards the members sat down to a sumptuous tea on the lawn. Miss G Lee proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs Cooke and her helpers. The rest of the evening was spent in games. Mrs Lake, Mrs I Davies and Mrs Campion took part in a very amusing charade, Mrs A Welford kept the party going reading an amusing letter.
A ‘ Humming Bee’ was arranged by Mrs Campion and Mrs Davies and a “beetle drive” by Mrs Shufflebottom, the winner being Mrs Cowper. The singing parcel game organised by Mrs I Cooke was won by Mrs Lake and Miss C Edwards. The evening concluded with a whist drive, the M C being Mrs Cooke who also presented prizes to the following 1. Mrs Campion 2. Mrs Thomas 3 Mrs Cowper 4. Mrs Hatton consolation Mrs Wellings.
War time
Then, of course, came the war. In September, 1939 it was noted that “Keep fit was cancelled due to the outbreak of war. Mrs Welford gave a lecture on “Pickles and Chutneys” instead”.
In October a letter was read from Lady Berwick (County President) asking all Institutes to carry on and do all in their power to help during the national emergency. Bicton WI’s immediate response was “as a result of a collection taken at the November meeting 500 cigarettes have been sent to the troops at The Front”.
Life continued as usual: the December 1939 meeting was held in the Grapes Assembly Room. “In the absence of Lady Giles (president) the meeting was presided over by Mrs H Ratcliffe. The programme for 1940 was discussed and arrangements made for the sub committees. Bulbs were given for a competition to be held in May.
Miss Lloyd gave an interesting demonstration on Christmas novelties. The competition “best last line of a limerick” was won by Mrs Campion. Tea hostesses were Mrs Campion and Mrs J Edwards, while the trading stall was in the charge of Mrs Leedham and Mrs Griffiths.”
The Committee
Committee meetings took place at 2.15pm before the monthly meeting.
In July 1930 a proposal was made that the crockery be used free for the rummage sale in aid of Bicton Parochial expenses – an amendment proposed that a charge of 2/6d be made, and was lost.
The Committee agreed in 1932 that two or four members of the Committee should retire annually without option of re-election. This proposal to be put to the AGM. (It was later discovered that this infringed WI rules!)
In 1933 the committee agreed that newcomers to the district be be allowed the privilege of membership on payment of one shilling donation for half a year, but all residents in the neighbourhood must pay 2/- subscription irrespective of the number of meetings they attend.
It was agreed in 1935 to buy a gramophone for use at meetings, but in 1938 as the gramophone was seldom used, it was given to Salop Children's Home.
In May 1935 the committee discussed a suggestion that meetings change from Thursday to Wednesday to enable more members to come by bus from Copthorne, it was agreed at the June meeting. In December it was agreed that meetings move back to Thursdays.
Owing to alterations at The Grapes, all WI properties had been stored at Bicton Vicarage, the parish to have full use when required. In 1938, Mr Painters’ charge for moving WI property from Bicton Vicarage to The Grapes Hotel was “favourable”. (It seems every time the WI had to move out of their venues they were able to use The Vicarage to temporarily store their goods and chattels.)
The committee could be quite brutal: in 1938 the secretary was to write to Mrs Biddulph to complain about the results of her cake icing demonstration in December. Miss Lee had bought the iced cake and it was cut for tea at the meeting – the icing was soft and the fruit had all gone to the bottom of the cake.
At the January 1939 meeting it was recorded that only 10 attended due to poor weather. Tea was served by Mrs Salter, “who was badly let down by her fellow hostess who neither came nor sent any provisions”.
Annual outings
The annual outing was an important part of the WI calendar. The May 1930 outing was to Port Sunlight, and in 1933 they went to New Brighton – members paid 5/- and the Institute paid the difference and the cost of tea.
In 1933 a Summer Outing Fund was started, members paid 6d or 1/- per month, to be refunded if she was unable to join the outing.
The July 1938 outing was to Fry’s Cocoa and Chocolate Works and in 1939 the outing was to Chester and Llangollen.
Christmas party
In 1930 the Christmas party took place on January 16th, at 6pm. Members were free, friends 1/-. Children were not invited, unless they could not be left in which case they may take the place of a friend and pay 1/-!
The 1931 Christmas party took place at the Grapes Assembly Rooms and “took the form of a fancy dress social, each member being allowed to invite a friend. Prizes were presented by president Mrs Sandford for the prettiest, most original and most becoming dresses. Refreshments were in the hands of Mrs Butters with the help of several members of the committee. A sketch ‘A Teachers Romance’ was acted by five members of the Dramatic Society and caused much amusement. Charades and other games were played, the Sir Roger de Coverley finished up a very pleasant evening.”
In 1933 the Christmas party was on Jan 11th, the entertainment was ‘American Christmas Tree’ and a ‘Home-made head-dress’ competition (prettiest & cleverest). Each member was allowed to bring one friend. Vagg’s bus was arranged to bring members & friends from Montford Bridge and Bicton Heath, free.
The 1938 annual Christmas party was on January 26th. Various members gave food, it began at 6pm with tea, followed by a whist drive and games, ending at 10pm.
People
Mrs Richard Sandford continued as President until 1932, when Lady Giles took office. Mrs Sandford became secretary and stayed in that role until she resigned in December 1933, Miss Roberts from Bicton Farm then became the Secretary.
In 1934 the Committee decided to sell the piano. Mrs Sandford was very upset by this.
Lady Mary Louisa “Molly” Marillier Giles was born in South Africa in 1869, and died in Wiltshire in 1963, aged 94. She lived at Rossall Hall, Shelton, with her husband Sir Robert, a barrister.
Both Mrs Sandford and Lady Giles often acted as speaker, Mrs Sandford offering a lecture and demonstration on loose covers, and another on weaving and Lady Giles giving her reminiscences of travelling, illustrated with photographs; entertaining the members with a “humorous and interesting account of her experiences in Norway this summer”; and entertaining the members with delightful reminiscences of the Royal Family.
In 1937 Miss Gertrude Lee was elected President, and again in 1938. In 1939 Lady Giles was elected by vote, as Miss Lee was also nominated. Miss Lee was again elected President in 1940, and continued as President until 1952.
Involvement in local and national affairs
In 1930 the secretary was asked to write to the Midland Bus Company asking for a daily service on the Bicton and Montford Bridge route.
In 1935 approximately 25 members went on the GWR Coronation trip to London. Lady Giles sent a congratulatory telegram to the King and Queen.
NFWI and SFWI
In 1930 SFWI held a drama school and Bicton WI took part with the play 'Acid Drops' by Gertrude Jennings (producer Miss Teece).
Arrangements were made in 1934 for Mrs Griffiths and Mrs Leedham to attend the annual conference at the Albert Hall as delegate and visitor. Mrs I Cook was appointed as delegate for the summer Council Meeting to be held in Shrewsbury.
We continued to be involved in the West Shrewsbury Group and at the 1936 meeting held at the Four Crosses, we attended along with Ford, Westbury, Loton & Minsterley.
The wider WI
In 1938, the British Government asked the Women's Institutes to help with preparations for the potential evacuation of children to the countryside in the event of war. Additionally, the WI, now a force of over 290,000 women, set up a Produce Guild to encourage members to produce more home-grown food and preserve fruit and vegetables.