Evenwood Women’s Institute celebrates 100 years of jam and Jerusalem

Evenwood Women’s Institute is marking its centenary this year with two celebrations.

Athough the current WI was formed in 1926, an earlier WI was started in the village a full ten years earlier.

Dorothy Proud, who has been president since 1978, said: “We did originally start in 1916.

“It was started by the wife and daughter of our vicar, Revd Collis.

“They started off the WI as president and secretary.

“It continued until 1919.

“Unfortunately, Revd Collis died here aged 47 and they moved on.”

Unable to get a new secretary, the WI closed.

Dorothy discovered the story of those 1916 origins when the county federation was moving its archives.

She found a report for Evenwood WI which describes activities such as classes for toy and glove making.

Unfortunately, little is known about the rebirth of the group in 1926 because many records were lost in the 1960s when the cellar in Ramshaw, where they were stored, was flooded.

However, the date of it restarting is confirmed in national WI and county federation records.

Dorothy is the longest serving member of Evenwood WI, having joined in 1963 at age 21.

She said: “I have been in Evenwood WI for 63 years.

“I used to come with my mother, Nancy Tate.

“Before I joined, I went on trips with her.

“Then there used to be a lot of trips and they were mainly by train.

“I remember one going down to Chester by train.

“I was working full time when I was 15, I must have been about 14 when I went with her.”

Although the WI only has about 14 members, it has been quite healthy in the past with up to 50 members.

A number of its stalwarts joined in the 1980s.

Dorothy said: “At the moment we only have three members from then: Mary Cickers, Sheila Startforth, and Wendy Lamb.

“They came in when they were all 40 years old.

“One of the vicars we had at the time had started Young Wives, but you had to finish when you were 40 because you weren’t a young wife anymore.

“They came with a few more and boosted our WI.”

When treasurer Jane Anderson joined about 12 years ago, there were about 22 members.

During their time, members have made many cherished memories, particularly of trips and outings.

Dorothy said: “I went to Norway.

“It was a five-day trip by a little plane from Newcastle.

“That was wonderful, it really was.”

For secretary Kathy Milne, the highlight was an invitation to Buckingham Palace to mark the centenary of the WI.

She said: “That was brilliant.

“The Queen wasn’t there, unfortunately; the present Queen was and Princess Alexandra with Sofie who was Countess of Sussex then.

“It was a fine day and the bands played, and the tea was something special.

“It was just fabulous.”

Treasurer Jane said: “My highlight was the WI trip to Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey was filmed.

“That was amazing because I love Downton Abbey.”

A brush with royalty is another of Dorothy’s favourite memories.

“We had a nine-counties exhibition of crafts at Beamish Hall.

“I met Princess Alexandra and I have a photograph of me and her.

“That was fantastic.”

Others recall a memorable overnight trip to Chatsworth House just before Christmas about ten years ago.

“It was nice that, but everybody was getting phone calls saying ‘there’s snow in Durham’, so we set off early.

“At Scotch Corner we came into all this snow.

“It was a tremendous trip other than that.

“I don’t remember it as Chatsworth House, I remember it for the snow.”

For members, the WI – famous for its reputation for ‘making jams and singing their anthem, Jerusalem’ –what also makes it great is also the camaraderie, new friendships and the variety of speakers at meetings.

It is also the interaction with neighbouring WIs, such as an annual darts tournament at Barnard Castle Cricket Club, where Evenwood last year came second.

Norma Johnson said: “It was miracle really, because we just try to not be last, that is our motto.”

Of the plans to celebrate the centenary Kathy said: “We have afternoon tea at the Auckland Project’s Park Head Hotel on September 30 and then in November, which is our actual 100th, we are just having a party here and Dorothy is making a cake.”