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STOURTON and GASPER HISTORY

The Women's Institute

Committee 1931	Members 1931	‘The W.I. was a new thing. People thought it was a novelty to get out of the house and have a gossip and talk about what you did in your own homes and exchange tips and things like that…’ M.T.
‘There was a Mrs. Cook, with a big black hat, very fierce, she became [W.I.] treasurer – she opposed the resolution about having rubbish cleared in Gasper by dustmen. She thought that housewives would no longer be housewives if they used tins and things like that. So people either buried their rubbish or they had bonfires…’ M.T. ‘We always did that for many years…’ E.B.
‘All the old [W.I.] dragons, they terrified the lives of Elizabeth [Bullivant] and I when we were asked to join…’ M.T. ‘We were so young. In those days you had to respect your elders and very definitely do as we were told. And we would sit there in total silence and we only spoke when we were spoken to…’ E.B.
‘Our W.I. meetings always started with singing “Jerusalem”, however thin we were on the ice, because it was in the rules and we had to close the meeting at 9 with “God Save The King” – although it was “God Save The Queen” quite suddenly…’ M.T.		‘She had to leave because it was against the rules. You wouldn’t have anyone [in the W.I.] that was divorced or carrying on…’ M.T.

STOURTON WOMEN'S INSTITUTE 21st BIRTHDAY PARTY 1952 HELD IN THE MEMORIAL HALL, STOURTON. BACK ROW: Mrs. Martin, Mrs Cary, unknown, Mrs Dean (glasses), unknown, Mrs. Norah Gray, Mrs Arnold, Mrs. Woods, Mrs Davisett (Terrace Lodge), Mrs Kendall (floral top), Mrs Lester, unknown, unknown, Mrs. Eunice Breem SECOND ROW: Mrs. Cross (?), Mrs. Len Williams, Mrs. Cross (?), Margaret Trussler, Mrs. Steeves (Housekeeper at Bonham for Fr. Brookfield), Mrs. Cobb (Innkeepers Wife of The Spread Eagle), Miss.Harcourt (Black Hat & glasses), Miss Cutts, Mrs Jenkins, Mrs. Norris, Mrs. Florence Sparrow, Mrs. Hurden (Black dress & glasses), Mrs. Hollis (District Nurse Crabb), Miss. Fish(Silvia. Letter Box Cottage, music teacher), Mrs. Les Marshall (Mere), Mrs. Josephine Deverill (Mere), Mrs. Betty Hooper, unknown FRONT ROW : Mrs. Charlie Davis (Nell. Thatchers thought we knew him as Len, son of Mrs. G Davis), Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Williams (Len’s Mother), Mrs. Winnie Poole, Mrs. Egerton (from Pertwood - Guest), Mrs. King (Rectors Wife), Mrs. Mildred Hankey (President & founder of Stourton WI8. Mrs. Winnie Pickford (was Keevle, postmistress, treasurer for 21 years), Mrs. Bailward (vice president), Mrs. Teresa Cook, Mrs. Kathleen Evill
Women's Institute Map of the Village