The image that springs to mind when you think of the Women's Institute, or WI as it is more affectionately known, is probably one of staid, grey-haired ladies selling jars of jam at an English village fete. It may come as a surprise then, to discover that the WI movement began in Canada and has been actively involved in many political camapigns.

The ideals of the Women's Institute of truth, justice, tolerance and fellowship are as strong and important now in the 21st century as they were at the birth of the WI in 1915.

The WI exists to educate women to enable them to provide an effective role in the community, to expand their horizons and to develop and pass on important skills.

The Origins of the WI

The first WI was a branch of the Farmer's Institute in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada, set up by Erland and Janet Lee in 1897 after an inspirational talk given by Adelaide Hoodless. Mrs Hoodless had lost a son to an instestinal infection after he drank contaminated milk and became an advocate for the teaching of domestic science in schools.

The WI movement in Britain owes its inception to the privations caused by the first world war. The nation needed to maximise the growing and preservation of food supplies so in 1915 the Agricultural Organisation Society employed a Canadian woman, Madge Watt, to set up Women's Institutes to help with the war effort. The first one to be formed was at Llanfair PG, on Anglesey, North Wales. By 1917 137 groups had been launched, and these were banding together in county federations that had begun to form between neighbouring WIs. The movement was growing so fast that the government decided that responsibility for it should be handed over to the Women's Section of the Food Department of the Board of Agriculture which continued to fund the formation of new WIs. A central organisation, the National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) was formed as an independent body with an elected committee, constitution and set of rules. The subscription was set at 2 shillings which went towards the salaries of paid organisers. By the following year, with the numbers still rapidly rising, a training school for organisers was held. The need to raise additional funds soon became apparent so a National Handicrafts Exhibition was held at the Horticultural Halls in Westminster.

After the war finished responsibility for the development, growth and funding of the WI was wholly handed over to the NFWI along with a generous grant to allow them to continue their work. By 1919 there were over one thousand individual WIs, including one at Sandringham of which HM The Queen became president.

That song

Development through the 20th Century

Campaigns

That Calendar

The WI Today