Mrs Daphne Howlett - The History of the WI

Pam Cooper – President of Poringland WI opened the February meeting with a

welcome to members and guests.  With the Alberta Creed said and business
dealt with, she introduced our speaker for the evening, Mrs Daphne Howlett
whose subject was ‘The History of the Women's Institute (WI).

The WI was first founded in Canada by Adelaide Hunter Hoodless who had

four children, the youngest of which died at the age of 18 months.
Recognising that a number of children died before the age of five, Adelaide
suspected milk was the cause as it was unpasteurised. The death of her child
led Adelaide to devote her life to better education of new mothers,
stressing the importance of hygiene.

After some time and many meetings, the WI was formed by Adelaide in

February 1897 in Stoney Creek Ontario, with the motto ‘For Home & Country’.
Similar organisations were formed in other countries eventually reaching our
shores.

Mrs Alfred Watt came over from Canada and introduced the WI to the UK. For

three months she addressed women, mainly on large Estates where they dare
not refuse to attend as the estate owners were the employers.   In 1915 the
first WI was formed in Llanfaiar PG on the Isle of Anglesea and by 1917
there were 137 Institutes.  Queen Mary invited Mrs Watt to address a meeting
at Sandringham and the Sandringham institute was then formed on 6th March
1917 with Queen Mary their first President, followed by the Queen Mother and
then our present Queen.

We are the only women’s organisation to own our own college and Denman was

purchased in 1948 after the WIs successfully raised funds to do so. In 1952,
£4,000 was raised by Norfolk's WIs to purchase our own building, which we
still own.  At present there are approximately 300 WIs in Norfolk alone with
about 10,000 members.

Visitors are always welcome at our meetings.  If there are any queries,

please contact Pam Cooper, President on 01508 491674 or Lesley Sanders,
Secretary on 01508 492155.

Joan Fountain.