HARLECH WI 1950 to 1959

1950 Pres: Mrs L Lloyd  No. M.: 69

Two parcels were received from Taihape Institute in North Island, New Zealand, with a letter giving news of their events.

Llanbedr, Llanfair and Harlech held an Eisteddfod and 120 members took part.  Marks were – Harlech 65, Llanbedr 58, Llanfair 29, and we won a silver cup.

Thirty members held an open-air meeting at Llyn Tecwyn, and then walked to Llandecwyn and took tea at Maes y Neuadd Hotel.

Up until this point it appears that meetings were held in the Moriah Vestry but in November these changed to Plas Café.

1951 Pres: Mrs L Lloyd  No. M: 46  No. Inst: 7710

Festival of  Britain year and a celebration was held with 100 members past and present attending.  This included a fashion show, a play and a Nosan Lawen (musical items).  A trip to Chester at a cost of 10s 10p unfortunately had to be cancelled.

Our sister Institute in New Zealand sent a Christmas cake and this was enjoyed at our Christmas party.

1952 Pres: Mrs L Lloyd  No. M: 52

After being our President for these all years Mrs Lloyd was made Honorary President.  Mrs Lloyd was also a local Justice of the Peace.

1953 Pres: Mrs R. O Hughes  No. M: N/K  Subs: 3/6d No. Inst: 8055

This year was our 30th Birthday and this was celebrated at our April meeting with Mrs Lloyd (Hon Pres) talking of Birthday Reminiscences.  Also it was Coronation Year and a party was held to celebrate that too.  A year of parties.

Classes were held in dressmaking and there was also a drama group, and again a Christmas cake arrived from New Zealand for our Christmas meeting.

During the year the members enjoyed two cookery demonstrations, a talk on reminiscences of Harlech and a demonstration of soft toy making.

A Bring and Buy Sale was held at Bronygraig for the July meeting and in June members went to Shell Island for a picnic. Competitions included ‘impromptu drawing’, ‘old books and prints’ and ‘christmas table decorations’.

1954 Pres: Mrs Nancy Jeffreys-Jones B.A. No. M: 59

This was the year “The Sales Table” was started, with 2p in each pound taken going to Institute funds.

The Drama Group appeared at the County dram festival, and once more a Christmas cake arrived from New Zealand.

The January meeting was a talk by Mr John Davies on Dylan Thomas with a social half-hour of favourite short readings and also an ‘exhibition of the work of the Eiderdown Class’.  So presumably a sewing group had been formed.

Other talks throughout the year included Tapestry and Canvas Stitches, Any Questions with Talybont WI, Penillion Singing with a session on Folk Dancing. Cookery Demonstration by MANWEB and Christmas Cake Decoration.

The programme also tells us that there was a mystery trip in June (but not what or where).  September was ‘Talks on Holidays Abroad by members’ with a competition of ‘any old piece of needlework’!

June also saw a talk on Bottling, Jam and Jelly (very WI) and the programme goes on to say ‘Social half-hour: Flower Arrangements.  Each member to ‘bring an egg-cup’.  Intriguing to know what the egg-cup was for.

1955 Pres: Mrs Nancy Jeffreys-Jones B.A. No. M: 65 Subs: 3/6d with 6d for refreshments at each meeting.

It seems we were entering the electrical appliance age with a demonstration at the April meeting of Electric Mixers by Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board.

Any Questions and Holiday Reminiscences seem to be popular events for meetings at this time.

Also during the year members had a talk on Maternal and Child Welfare and Basketry and Canework.

In June a County Garden Fete was held at Coleg Harlech.

Competitions throughout the year included ‘cleanest pair of shoes’ and a roll call of ‘supper left for husbands on WI nights’, so husbands were not forgotten.

Harlech joined together with Llanfair and Llanbedr Institute to form a choir for the National Eisteddfod.

A Christmas party was held with members paying 2s 6d, and also a Christmas party for the children.

1956 Pres: Mrs Nancy Jeffreys-Jones B.A. No. M: 69 No. Inst: 8517

The Drama Group was flourishing and asked to represent Meirioneth at an All Wales Drama Festival at Newtown.

An evening of Any Questions was held with Llanfair WI. A trip was taken to Windermere.

The programme for this year included a talk by Mrs Richards of Brithdir on Rhodesia. In February a film on Tea by Brooke Bond was shown. In March ‘Noson Lawen’ with the competition to recite 2 verses of Jerusalem in English or Welsh and two craft demonstration.  The September meeting was a ‘ Demonstration of Beauty Culture’ and the competition ‘The Best Ankle’!

1957 Pres: Mrs Nancy Jeffreys-Jones B.A. No. M: N/K

The film on tea by Brooke Bond must have been interesting as it was shown again in September.

Other meetings included a ‘A Demonstration of Hats’ with a competition of old photographs of members. In January there was a cookery demonstration. A talk on ‘The Use of Copydex’ in February, ‘Gardening’ in April and a talk on International Affairs in May.  An author named Berta Ruck gave a talk on June.

The annual Eisteddfod was held in the Memorial Hall, as was the Christmas Party.

There were many posts held by the Committee Members, and these are listed below:-

Hon President  -  President  -  Two Vice Presidents (possibly one Welsh and one English) – Hon Treasurer – Hon Secretary – Handicrafts – Magazine Distributor – Music Librarian – Produce Guild – Press (2 members) – Sales Table Organisers (2 members) – Savings Scheme  – Tea Organisers (2 members).