Please read Keeping of Records to see how long to keep your WI records. If you have any queries about your WI archives or would like to visit the Essex Records Office to view the FEWI archives, please contact WI Centre.

February 2026 update

WHY ARE YOUR WI ARCHIVES IMPORTANT?

Why do we need to keep all this paperwork?                                                                                            
What is it used for?                                                                                                                                                
It is just taking up space!                                                                                                                                  
No one ever looks at it!

These are questions and comments often heard at Federation officer workshops, and understandably so in this digital age, but WI paperwork including meeting records, scrapbooks, committee minutes and registers play an important part in social history and research.

Often when a WI reaches a significant anniversary the record of its first meeting are read out, and activities such as skinning a rabbit, making gloves, choir and drama groups are mentioned, scrapbooks are on display picturing members in their best outfits, including hats for a group photograph, other pictures of outings, social events, the WI float in a local carnival and so much more are included. Perhaps looking through your WI records could be an idea for one of your future meetings.

Who has read Julie Summers book Jambusters? It is a good read, Julie scoured the records of several WIs during her research, this book is the basis of hit TV series Home Fires. The author of The Ladies of Llanfairpwll, reviewed in February’s magazine also used WI records as a core resource for her book. In the future when researchers look back at the pandemic, they will be able to read about WIs organising meetings in a bag, drive through Annual Meetings, making masks and scrubs, meeting on fields and recreation grounds and doing what WI members do best – supporting each other.

The Essex Records Office, with whom the Federations Archives Team work, hold an extensive set of WI records which they refer to and people can view. Other local museums and record offices also hold WI records which they display and research when needed.

Enquiries have come into WI Centre from relatives of WI members, they may have found a certificate awarded at a Federation County Show or some music a well know composer wrote especially for a NFWI choral concert in the 1940’s, the team have been able to either direct them to finding additional details or do some in house research to find out more information for them.

The Archive Team, currently made up of five volunteers who attend WI Centre once a month, except December, usually the last Tuesday, to process the paperwork of closed and existing WIs in readiness for it to be deposited, on loan, at the Essex Records Office. The Team also deposit, after photographing and recording details, any WI textiles with The National Needlework Archive in Newbury. The team maintains the Federation library and textiles and recently held an Archive event for members – another is planned for this year.

We do hope this has made some of you rethink the importance of your WI archive. There is information on keeping your WI records, along with some more details about the team available on the Federation website. Should you have any further questions about your WI Archives, please contact WI Centre who will put you in touch with the team.

April 2025 update

In April the Archive team took two carloads of WI records to the Essex Records Office in Chelmsford. We are so lucky to have this resource on our doorstep as WI Centre simply doesn’t have the space or suitable cabinets for long-term storage.  This way the records remain safe and accessible to anyone who wants to do some research.

November 2023 update

As lovely as WI Centre is it does not have the perfect conditions to store textiles, being very cold in the winter and hot in the summer. So, Archive Team member Tina approached the National Needlework Archives who were more than happy to offer tablecloths, banners and other assorted textiles from closed WIs a new home. After recording the details of the textiles, including photographs, Tina along with Archive Team Lead Jan went on a road trip to deposit them at the NNA who are based just outside Newbury in Berkshire. Although it was a very long day for both, the M25 has a lot to answer for, they had an enjoyable time with the textile experts, were invited to view the current exhibition and gleaned some important information about protecting the textiles on display at WI Centre. 

Why did I volunteer to join the Archive Team?

It started with an advert and because I was interested in volunteering for something that I could give enough time to, I decided it worked for me and decided to give it a go.

I have always enjoyed history and an archivist spends their time helping to ensure the history we have made in the WI is protected, so future members and the general public, will be able to access to our history. I also thought it was a way to learn more about the WIs who are currently passing into history and to give something back to the WI.

Additionally, it also means I get to meet more members and pick up ideas from other Essex WIs.

The late Elaine Gibbs
Former member of Southend Sisters WI

There was a short item in Essex News in early 2019 about help needed to sort through papers that had been sent to FEWI and to keep FEWI’s records up to date.  I was intrigued by this and after a phone call I went to see what could be involved and so I joined the FEWI archive team in March 2019.  The timing was good as I retired from work around the same time.

I had met Liz Buxton, the Federation archivist, several years previously when I had taken the early Committee Meeting and Monthly Meeting Minute Books of our WI to her so they could be forwarded to The Essex Record Office for safe keeping.  These books were becoming rather battered and our Committee was concerned about their safety.   I spent an interesting hour with her talking about archiving.   So, when the Essex News item appeared I had a little idea as to what might be involved.

I have always been interested in history and have become very interested in keeping and preserving documents.  I think that it is amazing that paper can survive for decades or hundreds of years and what treasures it can reveal.  I went to an exhibition at The British Library last year and saw papers written by Elizabeth 1.  I know that Essex WI Minute Books may not seem quite as exciting, but they are a record of life in recent history and should be preserved.

I enjoy our days when we meet and there is always a good feeling of achievement when a task is completed, and papers are ready to send to The Essex Record Office in Chelmsford. 

Tina Holland
Paycockes WI