Spring 2002

The first Oxshott WI, the afternoon WI, was formed in July 1919 in Peace Week. Peace was not agreed until July 1919 and the country was desperate to get back to normal living again.

But things would never be as they were. In this year, Oxford admitted women to full membership, the Sex Discrimination (Removal) Act opened to women nearly all public offices and professions, and Lady Astor became the first woman M.P.
In this atmosphere of new beginnings many WI. s were formed, twelve of them in Surrey.

From the beginning, the ladies of Oxshott showed great enthusiasm and new members were welcomed at each monthly meeting so that by November, membership totalled 130. Young and older women joined and meetings were lively. At first, talks and classes were followed by singing, dancing and games. In fact, in 1920 the visiting County Organiser gently rebuked the Institute for being too inclined to amusement and said that the Club should also be educational and "industrial". She suggested glove making classes and her suggestion was followed.

The first meetings took place in St.Andrews' Hall while other activities were held in the Club Room - later known as the WI Room - attached to the main building.

The Institute continued to thrive, and had its own choir, dancing classes, games committee and drama group, whilst dressmaking classes, cookery classes and lectures on serious topics like the League of Nations and Home Nursing, catered for all the aims of the WI movement.

During the 20s and 30s the Institute took a greater part in village life, giving children's parties, dances, occupational schemes for the unemployed and sometimes tea for disabled soldiers at the end of meetings.

In February 1931, the WI was requested to deal with reports of an 'undesirable man on the commons', but what happened next is not recorded.

The September meeting 1939 was cancelled because of the outbreak of war, but thereafter the WI was involved with all the needs and difficulties of war time Oxshott. The ladies ran a duty canteen for Canadian soldiers, made jam in a garage in Oakshade Road, canned fruit and Dug for Victory on an allotment at Danes Hill, producing vegetables for Leatherhead Hospital; and by 1943 the Government turned to the WI for help with food production.

After the war the Institute turned back to its preferred activities, and since then it has entered teams and won awards for singing, choral speaking, drama, essay writing, needlework, cookery and painting. The collage now hanging in the Oxshott Village Centre vestibule shows all the shops and activities in Oxshott in 1983 displayed in the form of leaves.

Members have heard hundreds of interesting talks and visited many exciting places, have raised sums for good causes, sent a President to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace and given support to local projects and events, such as the Christmas Fair.

Most importantly the Institute has provided support friendship and opportunity through many years to Oxshott ladies and has promoted the WI idea so successfully that there are now three Institutes in Oxshott.