Continuing our series of Centenary reflections and history, here is the next review, based on the patient research by our current President of committee meeting records from the time.
The decade between 1937 and 1946 brought unprecedented change to Britain, and the story of Tickenham Women’s Institute during these years offers a powerful window into how a small village community responded to national crisis, war, and post-war recovery. Through careful organisation, shared effort, and remarkable adaptability, Tickenham WI became a cornerstone of village life.
A Village Organisation at Work
The earliest surviving committee minutes begin in 1938 and show a well-run Institute with formal structures typical of the time. Officers were referred to respectfully as “Mrs” or “Miss”, and meetings were conducted with clear attention to procedure, finance, and fairness. Leadership continuity mattered greatly, especially during difficult years, and allowances were even made to support the President’s attendance when her health declined. Meetings were held wherever possible—most often at The Hut, but also at local homes, farms, and village venues when wartime circumstances required flexibility.
Membership remained strong despite the upheaval of war. New members were proposed and seconded formally, and even returning members followed the same process. By the end of the decade, more than seventy new members had joined, reflecting the Institute’s importance as both a social and civic organisation.
Wartime Effort and Practical Patriotism
World War II transformed the WI’s activities. Tickenham members threw themselves into the national war effort, turning skills and organisation into tangible support. Knitting for servicemen and merchant sailors, remaking clothes for evacuees, and organising entertainment for displaced children were all part of village life. Food preservation became one of the WI’s most significant contributions: sugar clubs were carefully managed, jam-making centres established, and hundreds of pounds of fruit were preserved to prevent waste and support rationed households.
Members also embraced “grow your own” initiatives, distributing free seeds, ordering fruit bushes, and holding Victory Garden Shows. These activities were not only practical but morale-boosting, reinforcing a sense of purpose at a time of uncertainty. Fundraising events—mock auctions, produce shows, whist drives, and film evenings—raised impressive sums for causes such as the Red Cross, the Merchant Navy, and other wartime charities.
Learning, Fellowship and Celebration
Despite shortages and restrictions, Tickenham WI never lost sight of its social and educational role. Monthly programmes included talks on cookery, salvage, history, gardening, and health, alongside practical demonstrations on “make do and mend”. Members took part in competitions that were inventive and often light-hearted, ranging from knitting and handwriting to whistling and potato growing.
Social occasions were equally important. Birthday celebrations, fancy dress parades, and outings by charabanc provided moments of enjoyment and normality. Choirs and drama groups were formed, lantern slide shows were shown, and even during wartime evenings the WI remained a place of warmth and companionship.
A Voice Beyond the Village
Tickenham WI was not inward-looking. Members discussed and supported national resolutions on issues such as rural water supply, milk provision, housing, public services, and equal pay. Through these debates, local women engaged directly with questions shaping post-war Britain, seeing themselves as part of a wider movement for social improvement.
By 1946, with peace restored but rationing still in place, attention turned towards rebuilding and the future. Post-war plans were discussed, village-wide events proposed, and there was a renewed sense of optimism about the WI’s continuing role.
A Lasting Legacy
The story of Tickenham Women’s Institute between 1937 and 1946 is one of quiet determination and collective strength. In extraordinary times, ordinary women organised, adapted, supported one another, and served their community with energy and good sense. Their efforts helped the village endure war and hardship—and ensured that when peace came, Tickenham was ready to move forward together.
The Wider Picture: Women’s Institutes and the World, 1937–1946
While Tickenham Women’s Institute was responding to the needs of its own village, it was also part of a vast national movement that played an increasingly important role during the turbulent years before, during, and after the Second World War. Looking at what was happening nationally and internationally helps place Tickenham’s experience in a broader context.
Women’s Institutes Nationally
By the late 1930s, the Women’s Institute movement had become a major force in British life. In 1939 there were 5,720 WIs across the country with a combined membership of 331,600 women. Even during the war years, when many activities were disrupted, the movement remained strong: by 1943 the number of Institutes had risen to 5,825, although membership had fallen to 287,900 as women were drawn into war work, evacuation duties, and national service.
Nationally, WIs were encouraged to engage with serious social issues as well as practical concerns. Federations debated rural sanitation, clean water supplies, food standards, milk pricing for families, and the protection of wild flowers. These discussions mirrored the concerns raised in village institutes like Tickenham, where everyday life was closely tied to farming, food production, and public health.
Preparing for War and Supporting the Home Front
As the threat of war grew, the British Government turned to Women’s Institutes for help. In 1938 WIs were asked to assist with preparations for the evacuation of children to the countryside. Once war began, the WI became central to the national food strategy. Grants were provided to support agricultural work, and the Produce Guild was formed to encourage home-grown food and fruit preservation.
By 1940 the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) had secured large quantities of sugar for fruit preservation centres, saving thousands of tons of produce from waste. WIs were also asked to contribute to surveys on housing evacuees, leading to influential reports such as Town Children Through Country Eyes. For several years during the war, national Annual General Meetings could not be held, reflecting the severity of wartime disruption.
Campaigning and Social Change
Even in wartime, WIs continued to campaign for long-term social improvements. In 1943 a landmark resolution calling for equal pay for equal work was passed, with the WI playing an active role in the Equal Pay Campaign Committee for many years afterwards. Other federations argued that essential services such as water, sewerage, and electricity should be treated as national responsibilities—issues that were especially relevant to rural communities.
Women’s changing roles were also increasingly visible. By 1944 there were hundreds of policewomen serving across the country, many with full policing powers, reflecting earlier WI campaigns for women’s inclusion in public service. These developments echoed the growing confidence and public voice of WI members nationwide.
The Post-War Years
As the war came to an end, attention turned towards rebuilding. In 1945 the NFWI was instructed to establish a Women’s Institute College, signalling a renewed focus on education and leadership. Food preservation schemes continued until 1946, while cultural life revived through events such as the NFWI Combined Arts Festival. Grants were awarded to establish WIs in the Channel Islands, and federations continued to press for improvements in everyday conditions, including public transport facilities.
Britain in Transition
The years covered by this history were also a time of profound change in Britain itself. They began with the coronation of King George VI in 1937 and moved through appeasement, the outbreak of war in 1939, the Battle of Britain, and the hardships of the Blitz. The publication of the Beveridge Report in 1942 laid the foundations for the Welfare State, including the creation of the National Health Service in 1948. By 1945 a new Labour government was elected, nationalising key industries and reshaping post-war society.
A World at War
Internationally, the period was dominated by the Second World War. From the rise of Nazi Germany and the outbreak of war in Europe, through the Holocaust, the turning points of El Alamein and D-Day, and finally victory in 1945, global events shaped everyday life in even the smallest villages. The war ended with the creation of the United Nations, the beginning of the Cold War, and new movements towards independence across the world.
Bringing It Back to Tickenham
Against this backdrop of global conflict and national transformation, the work of Tickenham Women’s Institute takes on even greater significance. What was discussed nationally—food security, public services, women’s roles, and community responsibility—was lived out locally through jam-making, fundraising, support for evacuees, and practical care for neighbours. Tickenham WI was part of a much bigger story, yet its strength lay in how those national ideals were turned into everyday action within the village.