The Castleford Women's Institute has it roots in Lochwinnoch where the Lochwinnoch Women's Institute formed on July 1 1913 in the Lochwinnoch Presbyterian Church. The name of the Branch changed to Castleford Women's Institute in May 1915. Mrs. James Stringer and Mrs. McLeod of Burnstown were the organizers. The officers were Mrs. Alex Johnson of Castleford (President), Mrs. James Miller of Lochwinnoch (Vice-President), Mrs. William Neil of Castlford (Secretary Treasurer) and Mrs. John M. Lindsey of Lochwinnoch (District Director). In a history of the Branch recorded in 1972 by Mrs. Ernest Somerville, several special projects were listed as being undertaken by the Castleford WI branch in its early days:
1) purchased and convened a lending library
2) purchased an organ, an oil stove, cupboards and dishes for hot lunches in the local school
3) Red Cross work was done by members during the war years
4) a well was dug and a pump installed at the school
A list of Charter members appears in the first section of the Tweedsmuir History 1913 - 1986:
Mrs. William Neil
Mrs. Alex Johnson
Mrs. William J. Humphries
Mrs. James Neil
Miss Mina Early
Miss Bella Johnson
Mrs. Joseph Farrell
Mrs. Calvin Smith
Mrs. William Johnson
Mrs. James Miller
Mrs. John McGregor
Mrs. Charles McCreary
Mrs. John M. Lindsey
Mrs. William Shaw
Mrs. Robert Clark
Mrs. John McMillin
The Castleford Women's Institute disbanded May 10 2013, after celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Acquisition Source
This collection was donated in June 2014 by Castleford WI life member Mae Craig via Irene Robillard, Renfrew South District Tweedsmuir History co-ordinator. Accrual 2017
Scope and Content
The records of the Castleford Women's Institute consist of four Series of material related to the membership and activities of the Castleford WI: Minutes, Financial Records, Tweedsmuir Community Histories, and Miscellaneous Records.
Series 1 consists of 15 Bound Volumes and 2 files containing Minutes (gap from 1917 to 1927), Attendance Records of Meetings and Financial Accouts from 1913 - 1978, 2010 & 2011:
Box 1
Bound Volume - Minutes July 1913 - September 1916
Bound Volume - June 1927 - April 1930
Bound Volume - Jan 1938 - April 1940
Bound Volume - May 1941 - March 1945
Bound Volume - April 1946 - April 1951
Bound Volume - May 1951 - March 1956
Bound Volume - April 1956 - November 1960
Bound Volume - December 1960 - March 1966
Bound Volume - April 1966 - March 1972
Bound Volume - April 1972 - Nov 1978
Bound Volume - Jan 1979 - March 1984
Bound Volume - April 1984 - November 1988
Bound Volume - December 1988 - October 1994
Bound Volume - November 1994 - May 2001
Bound Volume - July 2001- March 2010
File - Minutes of Castleford Women's Institute 2010
File - Minutes of Castleford Women's Institute 2011 and misc. correspondence
Two certificates on occassion of 100th anniversary; Certificate of Congratulations from John Yakabuski MPP for Renfrew-Nippissing-Pembroke; Certificate of Congratulations from Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario
File of Miscellaneous correspondence re: grants, contributions etc.
Series 2 consists of 11 files of Financial Records NOT contained in the Bound Volumes listed above. Ten of the eleven files consist of material taken from a Financial Workbook binder 1990-2004:
Financial Workbook parts 1 & 2 - Area Donation 2001-2002, Casual Notes (working accounts) 2001-2002
Financial Workbook parts 7,8,9 - Trillium Foundation 2000-2001, Statements, Special Projects, Horton History 2000-2001
Financial Workbook part 10 - Reports on Fees and Financial Statements1990-2004
File Treasurer's Account of Receipts & Expenditures 1982-1988
Financial Workbook 2002-2012 (Box 4)
Box 2
Series 3 consists of the contents of several Tweedsmuir Community History and Community Events binders which document the activities of the residents of Horton Township as well as the Castleford Women's Institute from 1913-2013. The titles of the file listed below were taken from the covers of the original binders. The order of the files corresponds to the order of the digital copies available in Reading Room of the AMBA. A photocopy of the first Tweedsmuir History was placed in the Reading Room of the Archives for Reference Purposes.
File 1 - Volume 1, Part 1 Castleford Tweedsmuir History 1913-1986 (PDF 1)
File 2 - Volume 1, Part 2 Castleford Tweedsmuir History 1913-1986 (PDF 1)
File 3 - Volume 2, Part 1 Castleford Current Events 1947-1970 (PDF 2)
File 4 - Volume 2, Part 2 Castleford Current Events 1947-1970 (PDF 2)
File 5 - Volume 3, Part 1 Castleford Tweedsmuir History: Community History and History of Store (PDF 3)
File 6 - Volume 3, Part 2 Castleford Tweedsmuir History: Homes & Farms (PDF 3)
File 7 - Volume 3, Part 3 Castleford Tweedsmuir History: Post Office, Township and School (PDF 3)
File 8 - Volume 4, Castleford Community Current Events 1990-1998 (PDF 4)
File 9 - Volume 5, Part 1 Castleford Current Events 1999-2006 (PDF 5)
File 10 - Volume 5, Part 2 Castleford Current Events 1999-2006 (PDF 5)
File 11 - Volume 7, Part 1 Castleford Tweedsmuir History 1987-1999 (PDF 7)
File 12 - Volume 7, Part 2 Castleford Tweedsmuir History 1987-1999 (PDF 7)
NOTE: PDF 6 contains material from Tweedsmuir History Volume 6 - 1984-1986 that was not donated to archives.
Box 3
Tweedsmuir Community Histories continued. These have been digitized and are available on the FWIO Virtual Archives website.
File 1 - Castleford Community Current Events 1971-1979
File 2 - Castleford Community Current Events 1980-1990
File 3 - Part 1 Castleford Tweedsmuir History 2000-2009
File 4 - Part 2 Castleford Tweedsmuir History 2000-2009
File 5 - Part 1 Castleford Current Events 2007-2011
File 6 - Part 2 Castleford Current Events 2007-2011
Binder - Renfrew Fair Displays and results for various entries by the Castleford WI from 1987 - 2003. Compiled by Moira Shaw and Mae Craig. (Box 4 L2.12)
Series 4 consists of Miscellaneous Subject Files containing program files, clippings, photographs etc.
File 1 - Castleford Women's Institute Anniversaries; 50th in 1963 & 80th in 1993. Available on the FWIO Virtual Archives website.
File 2 - Miscellaneous Correspondence, Invitations and large, hand drawn, satirical Valentine's Day card depicting certain members dated February 1930.
File 3 - Quilts by Castleford Women's Institute Members; colour photographs and description of projects by Doris Ferguson and other members in duotang. Available on the FWIO Virtual Archives.
File 4 - 21 x Black & White Photographs; submitted by Edna H (probably for Tweedsmuir History) and reprints from Renfrew Mercury.
File 5 - Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings; possibly already contained in Community Histories.
File 6- Celebrating 100 Years of Founding Women's Institute 1997; contains colour photos and information about how Castleford WI celebrated the anniversary, Century of Fashion publication. Available on the FWIO Virtual Archives Website.
File 7 - Renfrew South District Women's Institute Material; Reports, Director's Minutes, Programs and Financial Statements
File 8 - Eastern Ontario Women's Institute; reports, Convention material, correspondence, spiral bound publication from Eastern Area Rally "Focus on Associated Country Women of the World" 2000, 1998 Emergency Plan Workshop handouts developed by Mae Craig, President of Eastern Area Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario (See Dewar WI for 1999 publication).
File 9 - Song Books and Song Sheets; used by Castelford WI members including 1951 publication The Women's Institute Song Book owned by Doris Humphries.
File 10 - Member's Instructional Pamphlets; several rug hooking booklets, accessories for the home, hats etc. from various sources.
File11 - Bernice Noblett Literary Competition; contains copy of play "Mom's First Trip to the Big City"
File 12 - Federated Women's Institute of Canada Literary Kit, 50th Anniversary Program, undated Brochure, Federated News Bulletin Summer 1972, Report of the 46th Annual Board Meeting and 14th National Conference 1997 (handwritten notes by participant Doris Humphries)
File 13 - Tweedsmuir History Manual 1987
File 14 - Nomination of Doris Humphries for Therese Casgrain Volunteer Award 2008. Available on the FWIO Virtual Archives.
Guest Book - containing signatures of visitors to 70th Anniversary Event held June 11 1983, 80th Anniversary event held on May 19 1993, an Awareness Night held April 19 1995 and Osteoporosis Speakers event on November 21 2001 (Box 1)
Two small cloth bags for collection of money for the branch and for Pennies used at meetings.(Box 1)
Notes
All of the Castleford WI Tweedsmuir Histories have been digitized. Please see Resources folder for searchable PDF's for volumes 1-7. Also searchable online through the FWIO Virtual Archives.
Access Restriction
Collection is open to the Public except for one file containing Member Profiles which are restricted for 50 years following the death of the member.
Reproduction Restriction
Copyright held by Federated Women's Institute of Ontario. Other than for research purposes, written permission is required to copy in whole or in part. Tweedsmuir Volumes 1-11 and other miscellaneous items are digitized and searchable online through the FWIO Virtual Archives.
Related Material
See Glasgow Women's Institute for set of Programs of the Women's Institutes of South Renfrew District 1947-2006 (including those donated by members of the Castleford WI)
For more information about location of other Tweedsmuir Histories see
http://www.fwio.on.ca/branches-past-present