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Stanhoe and Barwick WI’s 90th anniversary

Stanhoe & Barwick WI marked its 90th birthday with a party on 14 May 2009, to which neighbouring WIs were invited.

photos: Patricia Rose and Geraldine Butcher

As we walked into the beautifully decorated village hall, writes Rosemary Brown, (green and yellow balloons, and Union flags) we were met by a male and female pierrot, a bustling cook, and some elegantly attired ladies of leisure. Yes, members had turned out in 1919 costume for the evening, and for the competition of the month. There were 32 members and invited guests present altogether.

We dined well on wild salmon and meats and salads, and luscious puddings, (with no washing up), and ate slices of delicious birthday cake made and beautifully iced by members.

Lindsey Holmes, attired as a Tudor maiden, had us all guessing at the questions attached to the historical garments brought for us to look at and enjoy. (We knew about Liberty bodices,but not about Mary Quant’s shop. We knew about darning mushrooms but not about the finer points of corset lacing, or the meaning of actions with a fan).

A fascinating exhibition of ephemera, from scrapbooks and past programmes, to letters of thanks for a ten-shilling Christmas gift from village boys away in the forces in the second world war, and a history of our early years, was on show.

And two musicians set the mood with soft music to eat to, songs from the Shows to sing along to, and finally encouraged us to sing “I’m forever blowing bubbles” whilst blowing bubbles from tiny champagne bottles (an impossible task), making a riotous end to a memorable evening.

The hardworking committee should be thanked for masterminding this momentous occasion.

Rosemary Brown

Earlier, President Pamela Austin (photo, right) accepted a certificate from the Norfolk Federation of Women’s Institutes to mark the event.