SWRI miscellany
Taken from full detail of SWRI Federation Reports by Margaret E Morrison
1946
From Haddington Inst.To Central Council - Resolution: 'We, the women of the WRI protest strongly against the inadequacy of the coming clothing ration of 14 coupons. Does the Minister, Sir Stafford Cripps realise that not only have women to clothe themselves on their ration, but have also to supply the necessities of the home, i.e. curtains, towels, etc. It would uplift the morale of the women if some of the necessities, household & personal, which according to the press, are plentiful, could be released from coupons or considerably reduced in coupon value'.
1947
Dr Catherine Snodgrass Research Officer for EL spoke in connection of 3rd Statistical Account in Dec.
1948
Volunteers asked for by HQ for sewers for Princess Elizabeth`s wedding gift, work parties to begin in March.
1958
Federation had a stall to raise funds for restoration of Haddington House.
1961
Outbreak of Foot & Mouth.
1962
So far 411 tickets sold for forthcoming Garden Party at 5/6d per head; number required- a minimum of 500.
Garden Party - Earl & Countess of Wemyss kindly lent the use of the Marble House & Gallery - thanks to Longniddry WRI for catering & display of articles in exhibition - also to Longniddry Kirk Session & Scouts for loaning chairs & tables - to those who provided transport free of charge for function - Red Cross for service of 2 VADs. To those who provided music & Longniddry & Cockenzie Dancing Teams. In all 540 attended.
1964
County Council Chairman appealed for supplies of cast-off clothing for WVS to send to distressed areas. A receiving centre for the clothes in East Linton.
Federation voted against the appointment of a Welfare Secretary after a survey into the number of cases of lonely persons in East Lothian The number being so small & this & other comments by members, decided that there was no need for the appointment.
1966
First meeting of WRI Herdmanflatt [group proposed in 1965 by Dr Boyd].
Village History Competition papers to be handed to Federation at June Meeting to be judged by East Lothian Antiquarian Society.
Herdmanflatt WRI getting support from Institutes in East Lothian by attendance & demonstrations.
Whitekirk won the Village History Competiton. Highest % of entries to Comp. came from East Lothian.
Jubilee Curling Comp - Saltoun entering.
1967
Jubilee Year
National Finals of Village History Competition - Whitekirk amongst those Highly Commended
Herdmanflatt WRI - undergoing difficulty in arranging Office Bearers, so local WRIs are assisting them with arranging demonstrators & outings.
Several entries of Village History Competition have been sent to Museum of Antiquities, where they will be copied & returned.
At National Conference - Longniddry to present flowers to Queen Mother.
Complaint by Longniddry WRI to MP regarding proposed closure of railway stations from North Berwick; Drem; Longniddry & Prestonpans.
Members reminded that the Smear Test is available to all women of all ages.
H.Q. cancelled all one -day schools Tests etc. due to Foot & Mouth.
1968
Decimal School held on 29th March in Town House.
Silver Paper & Bottle tops to be collected.
Letter of protest to MP re: British Standard Time.
Experimental Mail Bus being run from Dunbar to Spott & Innerwick
Herdmanflatt - no regular mtgs. Now officially closed.
Drama Festival to be held March 1969 - Aberlady, Cockenzie, Dirleton, Dunbar, Gifford, Stenton, Tranent & Whitekirk have all entered.
1969
Deep Freeze Demonstration - 16th September.
Leaflets on Fowl Pest distributed to members.
East Lothian in Semi-finals of Curling Competition at Falkirk
Resolution from Dunbar SWRI to Nat. Conference: 'That a doctor should give regular talks on the transmission & destructiveness of the venereal diseases to all secondary school & further education college students'. Berwickshire asked to support this motion.
A warning from C.C reg. Do-it-yourself Electric blankets.
1970
Village Histories - Institutes asked to place these in the safe-keeping of Antiquarian Library at Haddington House.
Golden Jubilee Tablecloth - Panels on frames given to each Institute. Embroidery - Stem stitch; Satin, Chain & Backstitch & French Knots, using both cotton perle & stranded cotton. All lettering in gold in couch stitch over pearl grey. Finished panels to be returned at March 1971 Federation Meeting.
1971
Aberlady ladies sewing Stool Tops for Holyrood House.
Stools completed for gift to Queen & Prince Philip on their Silver Wedding & suitably inscribed.
1973
Dunbar's Proposal on the education of schoolchildren on subject of chastity & venereal diseases - motion turned down at National Conference, on grounds that a similar one had been dealt with at a previous conference.
No entries for Britain in Bloom from EL, as no support from County Council.
Pamphlets on Cervical Smear Test & Breast Cancer Awareness circulated to Institutes
Local Government Reform - Councils of Social Services being set up - Federations recommended to send members to their meetings.
Stools for Holyrood now in Portrait Gallery there
1974
Proposed Closure of Roodlands Maternity Unit - West Barns Inst. asked Fed. to sound out other WRIs about feelings on subject. After discussion - evident a greater need for ante-natal clinics in county. Members asked to write to Scottish Home & Health Dept. setting out reasons for demanding ante-natal clinics.
1976
RH Show Stand - discussed at National level - cost of permanent stand - £21,000 - considered too expensive with upkeep, vandalism etc. As all federations had to make a profit, it was considered best to carry on as before.
Also considered was fall in membership figures - depopulation, lack of transport, rising costs & closing of village schools, movement of population from rural areas to oil & oil related industries. Also brought into account was the break down in communication both within the organisation & outside. The Committee (Executive & Finance) is of the opinion that SWRI needs to make a more positive approach, to project itself more effectively & make known the service SWRI gives to the community, & the variety of activities it has to offer...An approach to young people to join SWRI. Personal contact & friendliness should be the keynote whatever the age.
They also feel sure that the SWRI image could be improved by special attention to the following: 1) Training of Institute Office-Bearers by Schools & Talk-ins. 2) Change of Institute Office Bearers at regular intervals. 3) Improvement of Business Procedure. 4) Introduction of more variety in Syllabus. 5) Assessment of expenditure in the Institute - costing for halls - payment of speakers & demonstrations. 6) Dispensing with some of the formality. 7) Integration of young & older members. 8) A new look for Shows, with sections more attractive to younger members. 9) Closer co-operation with Young Farmers & Youth Groups.
1978
National Conference - 1979 - Resolution from EL 'Could the Ambulance Service be made more available to outlying areas in cases of general need'
1979
There has been pressure from EL Fed. to Environmental Health Dept. regarding Bottle Banks in EL
Portrayal of Violence on TV - Agreed that every Institute should prepare a statement stating its case against violence on TV. To be sent to Fed. Sec, who will forward results to BBC.
ALCO CASH A CAN - project dealing with recycling of Aluminium cans willing to come to speak to Institutes.
1980
Local Health Council - vacancy for member asked for.
Death of Mrs Dale, Auldhame recorded. She started Kingston 27 years previously, she was a past Fed. Chairman & a Central Councillor. Represented WRI for British Standards & travelled widely for SWRI.
1981
East Lothian Council for Voluntary Services ask for a representative to discuss the formation of an amenity & environment committee for the county. Mrs Robinson, Rownas, Garvald, agreed to go along to express the Federation's disapproval of such a committee.
The death of Mrs Keiller of Kingston WRI was recorded. A Coffee Morning to be held to raise funds for St Columba's Hospice in her memory.
1982
Resolution for National Conference - Members deplore that the contraceptive pill is being supplied to girls under the age of 16 years of age without their parents' knowledge proposed by E.L. seconded by Perth & Kinross Federation. Mrs Walker spoke on behalf of the Federation & gave a very convincing & knowledgable argument. The motion was passed by a large margin
1983
Scottish Office, New St Andrews house ask for women willing to serve on a wide range of public bodies. To be under 50 years of age - No names from East Lothian put forward.
1985
Mrs Lamb - West Barns received Dunbar Rotary Club's Community Service Award for more than 40 years service to community.
1986
Mrs Ballantyne Dunbar WRI embroidered the East Lothian placemat as part of the Rural Gift to Duke & Duchess of York. Mrs Ballanyne has embroidered a previous Royal Wedding Gift, as had her mother.
Members involved with Meals-on-Wheels, Hospital Visiting, Church Guilds, Sunday Schools & other organisations.
Report from Emily Armatage on Lothian Health Council.
Federation write their dismay to E.L. Co-op Society on the withdrawal of grocery vans for area. Reply from Co-op was that economics had forced the issue.
Macmerry WRI ask Federation to complain to Health Board on the closure of the Chiropody Clinic in the village.
1987
Press Secretary at a meeting at HQ - asking for information reg. Institutes who started between 1917 -18 - in EL - Longniddry; Tranent; Ormiston & Macmerry. Macmerry reported to have had 60 members at their first Mtg.
1988
Federation Secretary & many East Lothian Institutes have written to John Home Robertson to give their support against the closure of Roodlands Hospital. Federation Secretary asked to write to Prime Minister regarding this.
1990
Health Report from Federation Representative mentioning the format of Health Council is to be changed, & awaiting a White Paper of services in East Lothian. Mrs Robinson then attended a meeting re the closure of Roodlands Hospital, & stated that a petition would be available in the County for signatures, but also a plea to members to write as individuals to the MP. At October Meeting Mrs Robinson stated that in January 1991 the 4 Health Councils of Lothians would be amalgamated with only 2 reps. From East Lothian (at the time there being 15).
1991
Health Council - Mrs Robinson stated that it was with great sadness she had attended the final meeting of the East Lothian Health Council.
1992
Proposed to cancel the Soft Toy stall at Autumn Fair & perhaps a 10% of takings from each stall be put to providing comfort for the bed-ridden & elderly. - Spenco Mattress Appeal
Catherine Blair Exhibition in January. Institutes asked for Rural Memorabilia.
1994
Jimmy Shand Jnr. played a Jig & wrote the words for The Tartan Two Step at National Conference Ceilidh which was gifted to SWRI, to be played entirely free of copyright.
Rural has now a Tartan designed by Kinloch Anderson to retail at approx. £19 per metre
1998
The McMillan Mile - the following Institutes took part this year: Aberlady; Dirleton; Gifford; Gullane; Longniddry & Spott, & Kingston/NB raising between them £1007.
Education Summer School held in Shetland with classes in Painting, oil & pastels, china painting; picture framing; step dance; & geology.
1999
Haddington WRI organising Shoe Box collection for Kosovo Refugees - non-perishable items to be collected at Autumn Fair. 85 shoe boxes sent to Kosovo.
Handicrafts: the stools made for the Queen`s Silver Wedding have been repaired & returned to Holyrood. These repairs were done by WRI ladies.
2000
Chairman presented Mrs Elma Deans with a Long Service Certificate, praising her for her hard work on Federation Executive Committee, West Barns Institute & for organising the Bowling Competition for so many years.
HQ asked Rurals to 'have their say' on Royal Patronage.