Mrs M Hardy and her recollections of the VII and Adderley

Some WI. Notes — 1988 for 70th Birthday celebrations April 19th

Having been a member of this W.I. for a long time, (56 years), I have been asked to try to recall some memories of the W.I. through the years.

I was not a founder-member but my 4 aunties, the Mrs Jameson of Hawksmoor were all founder members, so I have heard quite a lot of the early days. They held various offices through the years and Mrs Boulton who is here tonight was secretary in the early days. Her sister Miss Emmie Jameson still held office here some fifty years later and remains interested in the W.I. up to her death at the age of 94.

I frequently stayed at Hawksmoor as a child so I grew up familiar with Adderley and its people. In fact I have vivid memories of camping in the park with the girl guides of which Mrs Corbet was District Commissioner — it rained all week! But a highlight was a visit from Lady Baden Powell, I would not be surprised if there are some members here tonight who were also in the guides at that time.

Adderley Hall and Shavington Hall were still standing and there were large staffs of servants attached to each estate. Although the Squire did not live at Adderley Hall, there were Estate employees joiners, bricklayers and gardeners etc, and the same at Shavington.

Adderley was very fortunate in having a Squire and his wife who were public spirited and concerned for the welfare of the village folk. In fact the Squire allowed use of a large room at the hall to be used as a parish room and it was there that we met up to 1940, when with the 2″ World War, the hall was taken over with the forces. The 1st regiment to come were the Shropshire Yeomanry. I very well remember that a concert that we arranged for the soldiers was about the last meeting we had at the hall.

The formation of this W.I. In April 1918 when, the 1st World War was still raging, was a real venture of faith, kind courage by the Squires wife the Hon. Mrs Katherine Corbet and Mrs Bradbury the much loved school mistress. They were real pioneers of movement and went around the villages speaking about the W.I. A founder member from Audlem which was formed in 1919, Mrs Sally Wood now aged 93, told me that the one thing she remembered of these early days was Mrs Corbet and Mrs Bradbury coming to tell them about the W.I. One of our founder members recalled that ever a speaker failed to turn up Mrs Corbet could always fill in for them, she was a very gifted artist and used to entertain members with her clever drawings on the blackboard.

Her daughter Miss Sybil Corbet later Mrs Browne was the 1st Shropshire County secretary when that was as honorary position. In 1922 the County Executive Committee decided it was time to have a paid secretary. One of Mrs Browne’s favorite possessions was a sliver ink stand inscribed and presented to her by the Shropshire Executive Committee in appreciation of the work she had done for them.

Mrs Browne later became our President, a position which she held for more than 30 years. She still took a keen interest in our welfare up to her death at the age of 92.

In 1918 this W.I. had 67 members, and others joined in 1919. Looking at the old minute book, I see that in those early days a Welfare Committee was appointed, with one member living in each direction being responsible for visiting and generally looking after several members in their own locality. There were a number of members from Shavington and the road was very rough, full of pot holes, so to ease their walk from Shavington, we tried to fix meetings and events when there was a full moon.

In 1940, when the soldiers occupied the hall, we moved to this building, but it is not like it is now. It has been extended at least three times. The original building had been the kennels when the Squire was the Master of the Hunt. During the 1′ World War it was used to house German prisoners and after the War the Squire allowed the parishioners to convert it into a village hall, which was known as the memorial hall, up to the last major improvement.

Originally there was just one large room and a smaller one which had a billiard table in. For a kitchen there was a lean-to shed on the back of the billiard room, and I see entered in the minutes where the W.I. and the Mens’ Club shared the expense of repairing the leaking roof of the kitchen, whilst Sir John Corbet paid for the repair of the roof of the hall.

For heating, the hall had a solid fuel stove for which Mrs Lee can vouch for its temperamental habits. The W.I, brought two Calor gas rings and two cylinders and we used to pay 6p per meeting for the use of the gas, these were shared with the Mens’ Club.

In the billiard room there was an open fire. The toilet was a small cubicle partitioned off the wash-house across the yard, the boiler was also in the wash-house.

In 1982, the last major extension was made when the frontage was changed, the billiard room was enlarged and the grand new kitchen and toilets added. This room extended and the entrance and bar area was made comfortable.

We have always been interested in produce and handicrafts. In the War years ‘We Dug for Victory’ and made jam like most WI.’s. We collected rose-hips for the rose-hip syrup for the babies. We later bought a canning machine which we shared. Members paid 69 per dozen cans for the use of it. We enjoyed the canning sessions together.

We obtained a catering licence from the Ministry of Food, which allowed us to buy tea, sugar and butter for us at our meetings. Several of our members were founder-members of the W.I. market stall in Market Drayton and gave valuable service as producers and helpers on the stall. Mrs Hopwood was for many years secretary of the market stall committee. The stall has gone from strength to strength and provided a real service for the public.

For some years our W.I. has put on a produce and handicraft show in the village which is quite well supported and for which a cup, donated by the Warburton family, is held for the year by the one gaining the most points in the show. For competitions at our monthly meetings a cup presented by Mrs Astley-Sparke is held by the member gaining the most points during the year.
On the handicraft side going back to the War years and clothing coupons ‘Make do and Mend’, was a regular theme. I especially remember one demonstration when Mrs Brandon of Buerton came and showed us a very smart black costume which she had made from her husband’s frock coat and trousers. I wonder if she still has it?

Mrs Brandon, now 92, is living in Audlem, I am sure that she will remember it. ‘Something new from Something old’ was a regular competition on our programme. We have some talented dress-makers among our members. When the Queen invited the W.I. members to Buckingham Palace for the Jubilee Celebration our representative Mrs Mary Warburton (as she was then) made herself a beautiful outfit to wear for the occasion.

More recently for the county rally competitions ‘I made it I wear it’ our president Mrs Pat Stragg won the competition with a lovely dress which suited her very well.
Other examples of our handicrafts have been the 21 handsome tapestry kneelers which we made for Adderley Church in 1986. These were much appreciated, so much that the vicar has asked for more!

The latest project members are working on is a handsome tablecloth for the W.I. The design has been prepared by members and much of the needlework already done. We look forward to the finished article in the near future. We always enjoy our social occasions and perhaps the highlights have been the celebration of the various anniversaries. The 15th and 21′ birthday parties were held at the hall. And since then the 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th parties were held AT ADDERLEY MEMORIAL HALL. Always we have made a nice cake made by a member and usually a photograph, which provides such interest in later years.

For the 21′ birthday, it was a very large group. In addition to the members and visitors, members were allowed to bring along their young daughters and there is quite a row of young girls along the front. One of those young girls recently told me an amusing story relating to that party. She and her mother and grand-mother (who were both members) had walked from the far end of Shavington. They turned into the park at the South Lodge to follow the back drive to the hall. They had not gone far when they heard a roaring sound and thought it was a bull, which was not unusual in those days. They were terrified and did not know whether to run forward or back. However, they must have kept on going. Later they found that Mr Howard Icke, who then had the Church Faun, had some pig arks in the park for breeding sows and it had been the pigs snoring which they had heard! They could laugh about it afterwards but at the time they were very frightened.

For some of our celebrations we have had Miss Lloyd our County President with me, and that was always a great joy.