A new branch of the Women's Institute was formed in the west corner of Fitzroy Township on Wednesday January 19th 1951. Forty women met at the home of Mrs. W. Needham who was elected President at the first meeting. Originally, the name chosen for the Branch was the "Maple Leaf" but the second choice was accepted by the Institute Branch of the Ontario Department of Agriculture. The name Johnston-May was chosen to honour two local boys who served in WWI and WWII. Private D. Wesley Johnston served in WWI and returned to marry Hazel Duncan of Pakenham. Private Robert Storie May served with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. He was killed in April 1945 and is buried in the Holten Canadian War Cemetery in Holland. Both men were related to members of the Johnston-May Institute.
Acquisition Source
Mrs. Carol Bradley
5397 Madawaska Blvd.
Arnprior ON
K7S 3G1
Custodial History
Deposited in the Archives by Carol Bradley on behalf of the Johnston-May WI Branch in May 2016 which disbanded in May 2014.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of records created by the Johnston-May Women's Institute Branch including Minutes Books (1966-1985) and (1991-2000), Membership Book (1951-1992) and the following Tweedsmuir Histories:
Vol 1. (1951-1970)
Vol 2. (1952-1969)
Vol 3. (1973-1975)
Vol 4. (1975-1988)
Tweedsmuir histories contain news clippings about topics of local interest covering Pakenham, Fitzroy, Huntley and Arnprior. Family and farm histories and profiles of various individuals are included as well as Women's Institute activities are included in the four scrap books. The Tweedsmuir Histories do not contain an index.
Fonds also includes a folder containing a small amount of miscellaneous display material and items intended for next Tweedsmuir History (1988-2014) and a Video 8 Cassette Recording of the District Annual meeting of May 23 1991.
Notes
Gap in minutes which are still held at a member's home.
Some display material was digitized in 2019 and is now available online through the FWIO Virtual Archive. Tweedsmuirs are currently being vetted for privacy concerns before being uploaded to the virtual archive.
Access Restriction
Family history material in the Tweedsmuir histories may contain information of living individuals and will be subject to privacy restrictions.
Reproduction Restriction
Copyright is held by the Federated Women's Institute of Ontario (FWIO).