When we decided to bury a time capsule outside the village hall to mark the end of our Centenary celebrations it seemed quite fitting that we ask our longest serving member to write a few words on how Friskney WI has changed and grown over the years.
This is what Sally wrote for us and is inside our time capsule.
This is what Sally wrote for us and is inside our time capsule.
"When our family moved to Friskney in March 1978 I had already been a member of the WI for several years in Cornwall, and ended up as president there. So it was only natural that I should join Friskney when invited by two delightful elderly ladies, Mrs Robinson and Mrs Pickering. In those days you were invited to join by existing members and could not just turn up.
It was a very small WI, only ten members and we met in the small bar area of the old hall before renovation. The hall was still managed by the WI and quite a struggle it was to financially keep it in reasonable condition. Eventually it was decided to pass the caring of the Hall over to a Village Hall committee, and since then it has been well renovated.
I remember my first meeting was painting with Dennis Ingham and we all had a go. Mrs Vera Panton was president and for the following three years. By then I had joined the committee and because I was young was voted in as next president.
Mrs Panton subsequently died and I was very surprised when her husband gave me a suitcase of old Minute Books which he had found on top of the wardrobe. It was a great find and much appreciated ever since, it is still in my spare room.
Gradually membership increased and we were able to put on a play for the village. Coach trips were very popular, particularly evening mystery tours with Dickensons.
We traveled further afield annually, Hardwick Hall, Hatfield House, York and Coventry.
Then coaches became difficult to fill and we started having BBQs in different gardens. There was also the Spilsby Show to enter each year and sometimes we managed the Lincolnshire Show.
In the 70s and 80s there was always a lot of food involved and plenty of members willing to provide. We had Harvest meals, parties for the OAPs in the village and of course birthdays for us; there always seemed to be something that required food each month of the year.
The sadness of course is all those members who have died, some of old age, others because of illness and those who have moved out of the village, but the memories are happy.
Miss Elizabeth Pope who lived in Moat House across the fields behind Lenton's packhouse and who was 16 when Friskney WI was formed, was at the first meeting with her mother, a founding member, but of course she couldn't join then.
Every year her home help would make us a birthday cake, duly decorated with the WI symbol and as president I would take her a piece with greetings from the members. Taking a torch and walking across dark fields was quite intimidating at first but she had great memories and always paid her subs even though not able to come to meetings."
Sally Hall
January 2019.
It was a very small WI, only ten members and we met in the small bar area of the old hall before renovation. The hall was still managed by the WI and quite a struggle it was to financially keep it in reasonable condition. Eventually it was decided to pass the caring of the Hall over to a Village Hall committee, and since then it has been well renovated.
I remember my first meeting was painting with Dennis Ingham and we all had a go. Mrs Vera Panton was president and for the following three years. By then I had joined the committee and because I was young was voted in as next president.
Mrs Panton subsequently died and I was very surprised when her husband gave me a suitcase of old Minute Books which he had found on top of the wardrobe. It was a great find and much appreciated ever since, it is still in my spare room.
Gradually membership increased and we were able to put on a play for the village. Coach trips were very popular, particularly evening mystery tours with Dickensons.
We traveled further afield annually, Hardwick Hall, Hatfield House, York and Coventry.
Then coaches became difficult to fill and we started having BBQs in different gardens. There was also the Spilsby Show to enter each year and sometimes we managed the Lincolnshire Show.
In the 70s and 80s there was always a lot of food involved and plenty of members willing to provide. We had Harvest meals, parties for the OAPs in the village and of course birthdays for us; there always seemed to be something that required food each month of the year.
The sadness of course is all those members who have died, some of old age, others because of illness and those who have moved out of the village, but the memories are happy.
Miss Elizabeth Pope who lived in Moat House across the fields behind Lenton's packhouse and who was 16 when Friskney WI was formed, was at the first meeting with her mother, a founding member, but of course she couldn't join then.
Every year her home help would make us a birthday cake, duly decorated with the WI symbol and as president I would take her a piece with greetings from the members. Taking a torch and walking across dark fields was quite intimidating at first but she had great memories and always paid her subs even though not able to come to meetings."
Sally Hall
January 2019.