Weston Colville’s Women’s Institute was founded in 1925 and it was only then that women were allowed in the Reading Room.
Rosemary Westley, WI President, remembers: “I joined the WI when I was 14. It was well attended, and I remember making tinned fruit. It was surprising what effort went into the WI.” There were square dances and a fashion show, “The WI used to do a big panto in the Reading Room, like Snow White and it was really professional” Susan Chapman remembers. Rosemary Westley adds “Mrs Jenkinson put on pantomimes, Mr Jenkinson had floodlights. That was unheard of in a village like this and he had a little band…my mum used to make our costumes” and tickets for all events were written one by one by hand.
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