The 1950s and Keep Britain Tidy

1950
The Federation celebrated its 30th birthday with a special Council Meeting held in High Wycombe Town Hall. A revue, “Thirty – not out”, was specially written and performed by members drawn from all parts of the county. Lady Burnham cut the birthday cake, and the meeting ended with a grand parade of banners.

WIs were formed at Steeple Claydon and Westcott. 

1951
Federation Chairman – Miss C Gamlen
Federation President - Mrs. Slade
 
Miss Mitchell, Chairman of the Handicrafts Committee, presented Her Majesty the Queen, who was then Princess Elizabeth, with a luncheon cloth, representing four years’ work by members from all over the county.
 
The Produce Guild continued to flourish and a great deal of canning was successfully organised, while music and drama festivals were as popular as ever. 

The County Handicraft Exhibition was held in December, with 1,005 entries from 100 WIs. Freda, Countess of Listowel, performed the opening ceremony and in the afternoon the exhibition was visited by HRH The Duchess of Kent.

No new WIs were formed this year. 

1952
The first Buckinghamshire Room at Denman College was furnished from Federation
funds. Several members also contributed items of handicraft.

This year saw the completion of the NFWI embroidered wallhanging commemorating the work of women during the Second World War.  Seven members from Buckinghamshire, lead by Mrs. Kathleen Hawes of Wheeler End WI, were some of the 400 WI members whoworked on the embroidery.  In the framework were three medallions  showing such war work as nursing, radar, forestry, rest centres and evacuation.  Three larger panels represented work on the land, in industry and in the Services.  The central banner proclaimed "It was a war won not by the genius of the few but the faithfulness of the many".

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The Music Committee organised an outdoor festival on 19th June, in the grounds of Missenden Abbey. The weather was fine and many members enjoyed the beautiful singing of rounds and madrigals.
The Drama Committee continued with its annual festivals, with 52 teams taking part in the 7 area festivals.

Many members sent help to the victims of the Lynmouth flood disaster in the summer, helping to replenish store-cupboards and supplying household necessities.

Mrs. Drummond of Chalfont St. Peter WI won a competition to design a tablecloth to be used by the Chairman at BFWI meetings. The members of her WI embroidered the cloth on linen.

WIs were formed at Beachampton, Colnbrook, Gawcott and North Crawley. 

1953
Eight Buckinghamshire WI members represented BFWI at the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. They watched the procession from seats in the Mall and Piccadilly.

226 singers took part in a performance of Handel’s “L’Allegro” in Aylesbury Town Hall on 4th November.

WIs were formed at Ford, Penn Street, and Simpson & Wroughton. 

1954
Over the years the Federation had entertained many overseas guests. In 1954 guests from Australia and New Zealand came under the auspices of the Imperial Relations Trust. They were taken to the Royal Show and the County Farm, as well as visiting some WI meetings. In November a night’s hospitality and a visit to a monthly meeting was arranged for two Jamaican students, and there was also a visit from an African chief from Tanganyika (Tanzania) who was much interested in the work of the WI and told something of his own country’s problems.

The National Federation, under its Chairman Elizabeth Lady Brunner, passed a resolution to Keep Britain Tidy. 

A new WI was formed at Nash. 

here to edit.

1955
The Women’s Institute and other voluntary bodies had met as the Keep Britain Tidy Group. In Buckinghamshire the campaign was wholeheartedly supported by the WIs, many of whom took action by keeping their own village tidy.

At the annual Council meeting members were asked to help in persuading parents to have their children immunised against diphtheria.

A scheme was started offering members the opportunity to buy a selection of bulbs at slightly reduced prices. A total of 20,550 bulbs were ordered and distributed.

An Art Exhibition of members’ work, numbering 100 entries, was held at High Wycombe Library at the end of July, which aroused much interest.

Considerable damage was caused to the County Office on 2nd August, when a runaway lorry crashed into the building completely demolishing the corner and front wall to the right of the front door. Fortunately there was nobody in the office as it was holiday time.

WIs were formed at Ibstone, Moulsoe and Ravenstone. 

1956
A Handicrafts Show was held in High Wycombe Town Hall over three days in May. Lady Hambleden opened the Show and 105 WIs sent in 1,141 entries. The annual needlework school at Missenden Abbey continued to be extremely popular.

Over 350 members attended a Musical Garden Party in May and two Singing Afternoons in the autumn.

WIs were formed at Templewood and Chalfont Common. 

1957
The first edition of the County Federation Year Book was published, containing the annual report and financial statement, panel of speakers and details of committees, Groups and individual Institutes.

There was a growing demand for evening meetings, for the sake of the many women who were out at work during the day or at home with young children. 

WIs were formed at Flackwell Heath (evening), Lavendon, Maids Moreton, Prestwood (evening) and Wheeler End. 

1958

Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra attended the County Rally held on 28th June at Hampden House. Nearly 5,000 WI members and friends saw a grand parade of banners and a pageant giving a picture of the various well-known families living in Buckinghamshire at the time of the first Queen Elizabeth.

Her Royal Highness was presented with a bouquet by Mrs. Kath Dollimore who, at 80, was the oldest member of Ivinghoe & Pitstone – the oldest WI in the County. Standing behind Her Royal Highness is the County Chairman, Cecily Gamlen.

After the deduction of expenses, the proceeds of the Rally, including donations, were given to the retiring Federation Secretary after 18 years of service, as she was unable to benefit under the contributory pension scheme. 

There were now only 6 canning centres left in the county.

WIs were formed at Bletchley (evening), Chalfont St. Giles (evening) and Holmer Green. 

1959
This was World Refugee year and WI members in Buckinghamshire had many money-raising events and collected clothes and toys to help those still in refugee camps after the war.

One of the resolutions passed at the Council Meeting was “that we should do our utmost to ensure that the revolting and inhuman practice of keeping hens in battery cages be declared illegal”.

The County Handicraft Show was held in High Wycombe Town Hall in September. Lady Brunner opened the show and over 1,000 entries were staged.

A performance of “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast” took place at the Grange School, Aylesbury in June. Fifteen choirs took part and were accompanied by a string orchestra.

The County Office at Admiral Napier House was under threat of demolition due to new development proposals, so a search was on for another suitable office. 

WIs were formed at Leckhampstead and Little Chalfont (evening). The WIs at Speen, Cublington, and Little Marlow & Well End (formerly Little Marlow & Bourne End) were re-formed after a short suspension due to wartime conditions.

At the end of the decade there were 174 WIs in the County with a total membership of 9,563.