On this day, a century ago, the Largo branch of the Scottish Women's Rural Institutes was founded. The movement had begun in Canada in 1897 and the First World War hastened its development on this side of the Atlantic. The WI was formed in England in 1915 and the SWRI followed in Scotland two years later. The SWRI was inaugurated in Edinburgh on 27 June 1917, with the first meeting of the first Institute following swiftly afterwards in Longniddry, East Lothian on 25 July. The President of the Longniddry Institute (and driving force behind the inauguration of the Institutes in Scotland) was Mrs Catherine Blair of Hoprig Mains. The 26 July Scotsman covered this opening meeting (see below).
Although the movement quickly gathered momentum, with many other Institutes being established early on, it also drew some criticism - notably that the time was not suitable to begin such a movement and that it should have waited until the war was over. Mrs Blair's response was to point out that "the aim of the Institutes is not only to help in the present crisis but to endeavour to build up a better rural life and to prepare for the time of reconstruction which must follow the war". Furthermore, she contended that there was no other organisation that dealt with rural life "socially, industrially, educationally" that "links up home with community life and welcomes all women irrespective of class or creed" nor "offers interests so varied and opportunities so manifold" (Berwickshire News 23 October 1917)
The spread of the movement didn't escape the notice of Kirkton of Largo's Evelyn Baxter, who at the age of 38, founded the Largo Institute, with her close friend, and fellow ornithologist, Leonora Rintoul and twelve other ladies. Misses Baxter and Rintoul are pictured above. These hard-working and practical ladies wasted no time in undertaking useful endeavours. The Dundee Courier of 11 May 1918 ran a piece under the headline "Largo Women's Good Work on the Land". This continued...
"Miss L. Jeffrey Rintoul reported at the Fife Women's County Committee on Agricultural Labour meeting at Cupar yesterday that Miss Baxter's gang at Largo had planted over 100 acres of potatoes, and among other work had done gardens at Upper and Lower Largo". At the meeting, a Mrs Young had called for more leaders in the county and stated that "leaders of Miss Baxter's type were very rare". Miss Rintoul also reported the progress of the Rural Institutes, saying that the membership fee was 2s and that the government took 3d of this as an entertainment tax, as they had a little music at their meetings. At that time there were Institutes at Kilmany, Gauldry, Largo, Ceres and Luthrie, with plans afoot for others at Cameron and Leuchars.
By August of 1918, Misses Baxter and Rintoul had gone down to Somerset to Barwick Camp, Yeovil with a "Scottish gang" to prepare for the Fife harvest by being trained in every phase of the flax harvest. The image below shows women harvesting flax during the Great War in Yeovil just as the Largo ladies would have done. Typically, the good ladies of Largo organised a concert while staying at the camp, which was a great success and raised funds for Red Cross Week. The 3 August St Andrews Citizen covered this story and noted that "All the performers were Scotch. Miss Rintoul gave a Scotch recitation which brought down the house. Miss Stark sang "My ain wee hoose" beautifully". The Scottish ladies at the camp clearly had a great sense of humour - they decorated their tents with inscriptions and mottoes, including "Wha daur meddle wi' me". One tent was called "ma ain wee hoose" with a thistle underneath, others were named "The Beetle 'Ole", "Earwig Villa" and "Multum in Parvo" (a great deal in a small space).
"Miss L. Jeffrey Rintoul reported at the Fife Women's County Committee on Agricultural Labour meeting at Cupar yesterday that Miss Baxter's gang at Largo had planted over 100 acres of potatoes, and among other work had done gardens at Upper and Lower Largo". At the meeting, a Mrs Young had called for more leaders in the county and stated that "leaders of Miss Baxter's type were very rare". Miss Rintoul also reported the progress of the Rural Institutes, saying that the membership fee was 2s and that the government took 3d of this as an entertainment tax, as they had a little music at their meetings. At that time there were Institutes at Kilmany, Gauldry, Largo, Ceres and Luthrie, with plans afoot for others at Cameron and Leuchars.
By August of 1918, Misses Baxter and Rintoul had gone down to Somerset to Barwick Camp, Yeovil with a "Scottish gang" to prepare for the Fife harvest by being trained in every phase of the flax harvest. The image below shows women harvesting flax during the Great War in Yeovil just as the Largo ladies would have done. Typically, the good ladies of Largo organised a concert while staying at the camp, which was a great success and raised funds for Red Cross Week. The 3 August St Andrews Citizen covered this story and noted that "All the performers were Scotch. Miss Rintoul gave a Scotch recitation which brought down the house. Miss Stark sang "My ain wee hoose" beautifully". The Scottish ladies at the camp clearly had a great sense of humour - they decorated their tents with inscriptions and mottoes, including "Wha daur meddle wi' me". One tent was called "ma ain wee hoose" with a thistle underneath, others were named "The Beetle 'Ole", "Earwig Villa" and "Multum in Parvo" (a great deal in a small space).
For more on the flax harvest during the Great War see here: http://www.yeovilhistory.info/bunford-flax.htm
The Largo SWRI flourished and in 1932 the group published 'Largo Village Book', which remains a useful resource for those interested in the history of the parish. In that book it states of the SWRI that "from the first meeting it was evident that it filled a felt want in the parish". Membership in the early decades was around 200 to 300 and attendance at the monthly meetings was large. Classes were also held for various crafts and cooking during the winter months. Baxter and Rintoul held roles in the movement at every level and during the Second World War helped to organise the Women's Land Army in Fife. The Evelyn Baxter Scholarship continues within the SWRI to this day, encouraging the preservation of traditional craft. The Largo Institute continues to meet.
100 Years of Largo SWRI - 1918 - 2018
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100 Years of Largo SWRI - 1918 - 2018
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