Ashbourne Women’s Institute has been meeting continuously since its formation with some things remaining constant but other aspects seeing changes. The years have
seen fluctuating membership probably reflecting the changing work and leisure opportunities available to women in Ashbourne. Many women now work outside the home and belong to several of the many groups and societies operating in Ashbourne. With so many alternative groups and societies available, today the Institute focuses mainly on its monthly meetings.
seen fluctuating membership probably reflecting the changing work and leisure opportunities available to women in Ashbourne. Many women now work outside the home and belong to several of the many groups and societies operating in Ashbourne. With so many alternative groups and societies available, today the Institute focuses mainly on its monthly meetings.
Formation
Ashbourne Women’s Institute was formed in October 1926 with 27 members and it met monthly on the 2nd Thursday of each month, with an annual meeting in December. It had a committee of 12 with a president and 2 vice presidents.
Formed in the Century Hall, the WI first met in Spencer’s Café in the market place (now Fat Face) before moving to St John’s Schoolroom in 1927. In the 1930’s the meetings were held in the Town Hall Yard buildings, probably until 1958, when at a cost of £69 10s we bought 2 gas stoves,12 card tables,1 trestle table, 75 chairs, a piano, a cupboard, a dustbin, 2 kitchen tables and a blackboard & easel. This was a rather strange purchase as the Institute moved in 1959 to Parkside School which, as a new Junior School, was under construction. Then after 23 years (in1981) we all went back to St. John’s Schoolroom as the rent for the use of Parkside had risen.
Membership numbers varied over the years. At the start in 1926 there were 27 members but it grew quickly to 139 in 1928 and 147 in 1930. Unfortunately our records books from 1932 to 1950 were lost in a fire. By 1960 membership had fallen to 70 and continued to fall, perhaps due to the wide range of other activities available in Ashbourne, with around 50 members in the 1980s, around 40 in the 1990s, and around 30 in the 2000s.
Formed in the Century Hall, the WI first met in Spencer’s Café in the market place (now Fat Face) before moving to St John’s Schoolroom in 1927. In the 1930’s the meetings were held in the Town Hall Yard buildings, probably until 1958, when at a cost of £69 10s we bought 2 gas stoves,12 card tables,1 trestle table, 75 chairs, a piano, a cupboard, a dustbin, 2 kitchen tables and a blackboard & easel. This was a rather strange purchase as the Institute moved in 1959 to Parkside School which, as a new Junior School, was under construction. Then after 23 years (in1981) we all went back to St. John’s Schoolroom as the rent for the use of Parkside had risen.
Membership numbers varied over the years. At the start in 1926 there were 27 members but it grew quickly to 139 in 1928 and 147 in 1930. Unfortunately our records books from 1932 to 1950 were lost in a fire. By 1960 membership had fallen to 70 and continued to fall, perhaps due to the wide range of other activities available in Ashbourne, with around 50 members in the 1980s, around 40 in the 1990s, and around 30 in the 2000s.
Meetings
In the early years, the National Anthem was sung before the meeting and Jerusalem at the end. Refreshments cost of 1d for tea and 1d for a cake or a bun.
The Institute bought new teacups in 1955 costing 18/-, in 1961 more new WI crockery was £6 6s 9d, and again in 1980 we bought new crockery this time costing £44.80.
Mrs J Etherington designed a new tablecloth for meetings which was first used in 1966.
The 1972 miners’ strike in January meant there was no heating at Parkside, so we met at Mrs Hall’s home over the Westminster Bank.
The National Federation of WIs introduced a new song in 1982 which proved to be a disaster! We carried on with Jerusalem.
An oak gavel and stand were made in 1988 and given for use at meetings, complete with a plaque which had been on a seat given to St Monica’s Foundation in 1963.
The Mrs Kitchen cup was given to the Ashbourne Show in 1995 in her memory, to be awarded to the winner of the knitting and crochet each year.
In 1997 the meeting money was increased from 20p to 50p.
When St John’s church hall was refurbished in 2000, we were given cupboard space for our cups etc for a one-off payment of £160.
The cost of speakers for the year 2003 was £122.
Up to 2005, our records were stored in the bank. We decided to remove them for easier access and they are now kept by the committee.
The Institute bought new teacups in 1955 costing 18/-, in 1961 more new WI crockery was £6 6s 9d, and again in 1980 we bought new crockery this time costing £44.80.
Mrs J Etherington designed a new tablecloth for meetings which was first used in 1966.
The 1972 miners’ strike in January meant there was no heating at Parkside, so we met at Mrs Hall’s home over the Westminster Bank.
The National Federation of WIs introduced a new song in 1982 which proved to be a disaster! We carried on with Jerusalem.
An oak gavel and stand were made in 1988 and given for use at meetings, complete with a plaque which had been on a seat given to St Monica’s Foundation in 1963.
The Mrs Kitchen cup was given to the Ashbourne Show in 1995 in her memory, to be awarded to the winner of the knitting and crochet each year.
In 1997 the meeting money was increased from 20p to 50p.
When St John’s church hall was refurbished in 2000, we were given cupboard space for our cups etc for a one-off payment of £160.
The cost of speakers for the year 2003 was £122.
Up to 2005, our records were stored in the bank. We decided to remove them for easier access and they are now kept by the committee.
Anniversaries
Ashbourne WI's 25th anniversary was in 1951 when Mrs Thorley gave a cup to be presented each year to the member who had done the most for our WI in the past year.
We celebrated our Golden Jubilee in 1976 with an exhibition of crafts and a celebratory dinner at the Green Man with Tom Coyne (of BBC TV fame). The menu was Florida Cocktail, Turkey and Vegetables, Fruit Pie and Cream, and cost £2.50.
Brassington WI invited us to join them in a joint celebration of out 60th birthdays in 1986 with supper and games in their village hall. The same year, we sent a card to the Queen who was also celebrating her 60th birthday.
We held our 70th birthday party in St. Oswald’s church Hall in 1996 where Mrs Mycock provided a four course meal. This was followed by “Songs from the Shows” sung by Helen Webster and friends.
To celebrate our 75th anniversary in 2001 we had a dinner at the Golf Club where each member was given a personalized decorated wooden spoon.
The 80th anniversary was celebrated at the normal December meeting in 2006 with a party attended by Judy Stanhope (Derbyshire Federation Chairman) who cut the 80th anniversary cake.
We celebrated our Golden Jubilee in 1976 with an exhibition of crafts and a celebratory dinner at the Green Man with Tom Coyne (of BBC TV fame). The menu was Florida Cocktail, Turkey and Vegetables, Fruit Pie and Cream, and cost £2.50.
Brassington WI invited us to join them in a joint celebration of out 60th birthdays in 1986 with supper and games in their village hall. The same year, we sent a card to the Queen who was also celebrating her 60th birthday.
We held our 70th birthday party in St. Oswald’s church Hall in 1996 where Mrs Mycock provided a four course meal. This was followed by “Songs from the Shows” sung by Helen Webster and friends.
To celebrate our 75th anniversary in 2001 we had a dinner at the Golf Club where each member was given a personalized decorated wooden spoon.
The 80th anniversary was celebrated at the normal December meeting in 2006 with a party attended by Judy Stanhope (Derbyshire Federation Chairman) who cut the 80th anniversary cake.
The wider WI
Ashbourne WI is part of the Dovedale Group. This group was formed in 1928 out of the former Devonshire group. It consisted of Alstonefield, Ashbourne, Brassington, Biggin by Hartington, Clifton, Kniveton, Parwich, Tissington and Hognaston (from 1963).
In 1959, 161 members attended the 55th group meeting and when Ashbourne hosted the 73rd meeting in spring 1968 in the Empire Hall there were 165 members attending.
A WI seat was installed in Dovedale in the summer of 1965 and repaired in 1983 at a cost of £32.80. The brass plaque, installed in 1984, was stolen and replaced in 2000.
In 1979, Mrs Etherington was elected to serve on the HQ committee and Mrs S Bell to serve on the DFWI Executive, sitting on the Sports and Leisure and Show committees.
Ashbourne again organized the group meeting in 1980 when the Duchess of Devonshire spoke on “Chatsworth House” and the group held its 100th meeting in October 1981.
In 1983 Mrs Ann Brown (of Ashbourne WI) was group convener. We hosted the group meeting putting on a play, based on our Rambling club activities, written by Sylvia Fogg.
Once again our WI provided the group convener (Mrs Sheila Cook) in 1999 and we hosted the group carol service at the Methodist Church.
The spring group meeting was cancelled in 2001 due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak and so was Ashbourne Show.
Susan Birch (a committee member of Ashbourne WI) became a member of the Derbyshire Executive committee in 2004. She was instrumental in the project to provide a memorial for the Women’s Institute in the National Memorial Arboretum at Alwrewas. A seat made of Derbyshire stone in the style of a dry stone wall was successfully installed and dedicated in 2009.
In 1959, 161 members attended the 55th group meeting and when Ashbourne hosted the 73rd meeting in spring 1968 in the Empire Hall there were 165 members attending.
A WI seat was installed in Dovedale in the summer of 1965 and repaired in 1983 at a cost of £32.80. The brass plaque, installed in 1984, was stolen and replaced in 2000.
In 1979, Mrs Etherington was elected to serve on the HQ committee and Mrs S Bell to serve on the DFWI Executive, sitting on the Sports and Leisure and Show committees.
Ashbourne again organized the group meeting in 1980 when the Duchess of Devonshire spoke on “Chatsworth House” and the group held its 100th meeting in October 1981.
In 1983 Mrs Ann Brown (of Ashbourne WI) was group convener. We hosted the group meeting putting on a play, based on our Rambling club activities, written by Sylvia Fogg.
Once again our WI provided the group convener (Mrs Sheila Cook) in 1999 and we hosted the group carol service at the Methodist Church.
The spring group meeting was cancelled in 2001 due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak and so was Ashbourne Show.
Susan Birch (a committee member of Ashbourne WI) became a member of the Derbyshire Executive committee in 2004. She was instrumental in the project to provide a memorial for the Women’s Institute in the National Memorial Arboretum at Alwrewas. A seat made of Derbyshire stone in the style of a dry stone wall was successfully installed and dedicated in 2009.
Activities
The Institute ran many different activities in its early years but as Ashbourne Town’s clubs and societies grew, the Institute organized less for its own members. Garden parties were annual event for many years with the first held in June 1927. They are less frequent now but the latest was held in Mrs Lois Wilkes’ garden in 2013. In November 1928, a hockey club and a choir were formed and in 1930, a drama sub committee was formed. The annual whist drive dance cost 2/- for a couple and 1/6d for a single.
In 1931, the education committee supplied a demonstration on the making of lampshades – most appropriate as electricity was coming to the town! The same year the book “A Short History of Ashbourne” was compiled by members (this is bound in leather, hand written & illustrated). This book continued to be of interest and was on display in 1962 at the village history conference.
Members were very active during the Second World War.
· many members collected 1d a week for the Red Cross and St. John’s;
· National Savings were collected;
· made jam and marmalade, canned and bottled fruit, and planted fruit trees;
· took in evacuees (from Manchester, Essex, and London);
· helped the WVS run the Granby Café (part of the Green Man)
To commemorate the Queen’s coronation in 1953, we presented a seat and a tree to the town. In that year Mrs Kitchen won first prize in a national Daily Mail competition for a child’s garment made out of 1 ply wool.
The Queen’s Silver Jubilee was celebrated with a Country Pantry stall in the Market Place where we sold cakes and sandwiches and tea in the Town Hall. This made £76 for funds. Thirteen members attended the planting of a cherry tree on the recreation ground to celebrate the Jubilee. The tree cost £3.
Our quiz team reached the finals in the town quiz in 1980 but was beaten by the Rotary Club. Car maintenance classes were held at Sturston Road garage in 1997 and again at its new premises in 2013. In 2001, Rene Hyatt held the first of many lunches at her home to raise funds, raising £115.
The Institute arranges visits to places of interest. In the last few years we used bursaries to visit the Batsford Arboretum, Chatsworth House and to attend a talk on Boudicca at Tutbury Castle. Other visits were to gardens at Renishaw Hall and Trentham, to the Black Country museum, Stockport hat museum, Wedgwood pottery, and theatre visits included the Calendar Girls on tour in Nottingham.
We've risen to the challenges and opportunities that advancement in technology presents. The Ashbourne WI website was set up in 2013, providing information to everyone about our activities, meetings and campaigns. The Institute has its own email account which is used to communicate to members between meetings. Despite the predominance of retired women in our membership, the majority of members (21 out of 26) already have internet access and plans are in place to support other members to take advantage of the life-line provided by the internet.
In 1931, the education committee supplied a demonstration on the making of lampshades – most appropriate as electricity was coming to the town! The same year the book “A Short History of Ashbourne” was compiled by members (this is bound in leather, hand written & illustrated). This book continued to be of interest and was on display in 1962 at the village history conference.
Members were very active during the Second World War.
· many members collected 1d a week for the Red Cross and St. John’s;
· National Savings were collected;
· made jam and marmalade, canned and bottled fruit, and planted fruit trees;
· took in evacuees (from Manchester, Essex, and London);
· helped the WVS run the Granby Café (part of the Green Man)
To commemorate the Queen’s coronation in 1953, we presented a seat and a tree to the town. In that year Mrs Kitchen won first prize in a national Daily Mail competition for a child’s garment made out of 1 ply wool.
The Queen’s Silver Jubilee was celebrated with a Country Pantry stall in the Market Place where we sold cakes and sandwiches and tea in the Town Hall. This made £76 for funds. Thirteen members attended the planting of a cherry tree on the recreation ground to celebrate the Jubilee. The tree cost £3.
Our quiz team reached the finals in the town quiz in 1980 but was beaten by the Rotary Club. Car maintenance classes were held at Sturston Road garage in 1997 and again at its new premises in 2013. In 2001, Rene Hyatt held the first of many lunches at her home to raise funds, raising £115.
The Institute arranges visits to places of interest. In the last few years we used bursaries to visit the Batsford Arboretum, Chatsworth House and to attend a talk on Boudicca at Tutbury Castle. Other visits were to gardens at Renishaw Hall and Trentham, to the Black Country museum, Stockport hat museum, Wedgwood pottery, and theatre visits included the Calendar Girls on tour in Nottingham.
We've risen to the challenges and opportunities that advancement in technology presents. The Ashbourne WI website was set up in 2013, providing information to everyone about our activities, meetings and campaigns. The Institute has its own email account which is used to communicate to members between meetings. Despite the predominance of retired women in our membership, the majority of members (21 out of 26) already have internet access and plans are in place to support other members to take advantage of the life-line provided by the internet.
Supporting others
The Institute often raised funds for others. The petrol restrictions brought in by the Suez Crisis in 1957 affected life in the Institute but we were still able to hold a produce exhibition in the Century Hall and send money to the Snelston Flood Relief Fund. We raised £21 4s 9d in 1960 for refuge year and sent a donation to Pestalozzi Village. In 1962 we sent Easter cards and eggs to refugee boys at Donnington Hall; £5 from funds for the Derbyshire Room at Denman College; and donated money to St. Monica’s Home in memory of its founder Mrs Thorley. A tree and seat were given to the recreation grounds in 1963 and a seat in Dovedale in 1965. We sent £100 to the Aberfan disaster in 1966 and donated £20 to the new Ashbourne swimming pool in 1968/9. In 1971, £163.95 was raised for the British Empire Cancer Campaign; in 1973 everyone gave 5p for plant a tree year and a tree planted at Parkside School.
In 1987 we gave £100 to St John’s as a donation towards new chairs for the schoolroom. In 1993, we held a coffee morning for the scout hut appeal and raised £200
We continue to support ACWW with Pennies for Friendship donated to improving life for women in third world countries.
In 1987 we gave £100 to St John’s as a donation towards new chairs for the schoolroom. In 1993, we held a coffee morning for the scout hut appeal and raised £200
We continue to support ACWW with Pennies for Friendship donated to improving life for women in third world countries.