The following are extracts from the archives of OFWI and Oxfordshire WIs :

STEEPLE ASTON WI

Steeple Aston WI member, Edna Knight, has sent in a poetic tribute to her grandfather, postman Harry Fry, that was written by Thomas Hardy who, it is understood, was a personal friend. With Christmas still in our minds we reproduce it here now.   

'Christmas Day all the world over is much the same wherever you go. In those days, no one dreamt of "post early"; indeed, to receive cards and presents before the day was deemed all wrong, in fact unlucky.   

The event of the day was the arrival of the postman; Postman Harry Fry. A very cheery type, voice slightly pitched, and his eyes twinkled good humour. He carried Winterbourne Abbas, I believe, and delivered through Littlebredy, Longbredy to Journals and Little Cheney, where he arrived at mid-day. Then came lunch and the return journey, becoming more heavily loaded as he trudged on his way. Only rarely did he seek assistance.   

I've heard many people say "Merry Christmas to ee," but few could put the wealth of good humour into the time-honoured wish as did cheerful Postman Fry'.

THE WI - BEGINNINGS

In 1996, to commemorate the very first WI that was ever formed, in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada, the Federation in Ontario published a book called For Home and Country, of which our County Archivist, Penny Noble, has a personal copy, bought at the site in Stoney Creek by another member and given to her. This beautifully laid out book, with many photographs, sets out that Federation's history in chronological order and in storybook form (narrative). The actual anniversary was February 1997 for this the first of what we now know as WI, worldwide. With the England and Wales centenary coming up in 2015, we are not so far off our own celebrations and I wonder if a similar book will be produced by any of the England and Wales Federations, which currently number around 70.

Briefly, as some of you will know, in 1889, Adelaide Hoodless lost her baby son John and doctors concluded he died from an intestinal complaint, common in the summer, from drinking impure milk. Devasted at her loss but also shocked at her and other mothers' lack of domestic hygiene and knowledge that could have saved his life and that of many others, Adelaide began the long process of founding the WI to bring countrywomen together and educate them in such matters. Adelaide lived in rural Ontario, and the rest as they say, is history.

Two more Institutes were quickly set up in Whitby and Kemble, also in Ontario, with very close links to Farmers Institutes which included men of course and had been running since 1884. Many more followed and then in 1915 the first one in Wales, at Llanfair PG, was founded. An obvious connection between our two countries was during the war when Canadian WIs made jam from home grown fruits for "the evacuated British children" with the cooperation of the Red Cross to arrange shipping. This book and other Canadian archives will be on display at the Exhibition our Federation are planning for 20 & 21 July 2012 to coincide with The WI Year of the Archive.

Margaret Allen of Stoke Lyne WI has sent a lovely booklet of small black and white photographs from a production of The Well Maiden, which was put on by Tusmore WI in 1932.. Too small and delicate to reproduce here they show some beautiful costumes for quite a lavish production and she writes with fondness for this now closed WI. They used to meet in the thatched cricket pavilion on the Tusmore Park Estate, owned then by Lord Bicester whose wife Sybil, as was often the case, was the president of the WI. She provided a coach to collect members from surrounding villages for the meetings and she was succeeded by her daughter as president. Tusmore WI closed soon after the death of Lord Bicester when the estate changed hands and two of those members are now at Stoke Lyne. These two books are shown to compare their contrasting age and style; both little treasures in their own way.

HOLTON & WATERPERRY WI

When tidying up their archives, members of HOLTON & WATERPERRY WI found some old booklets, which were WI publications from the 60s and 70s. Did you ever have a go at Broomstick Crochet, as described in one of the booklets? Another of the booklets was about Fruit from the Small Garden and another was about Photography. Perhaps you did a photography course with Robert Rose at Denman in 1967? In the booklet, Robert Rose says it is 'a boon to those who really have no mechanical sense at all' when talking about Instamatic type cameras having an easy loading system for film that 'CANNOT be put in upside down or the wrong way round'. It makes you realise how much photographic technology has changed and how much more technically capable WI members are now.

OFWI

Here are a few extracts taken from a booklet produced by OFWI for our 80th anniversary in 1999. It accompanied some entertainment at the AGM that year.

In 1924 Wheatley WI proposed that the price of Home and Country (precursor to 'WI Life') was too high and should be reduced to 2d - two old pennies.

In 1927 Elsfield WI's resolution was to ask for a campaign to reduce the disfigurement of the countryside by holidaymakers leaving litter, picking wild flowers, and leaving gates open.

In 1931 membership subs were two shillings - ten new pence now.

The war years produced statistics about jam, of course. We had 57 preservation centres in Oxfordshire, used 12 canning machines from the USA, and we produced 13 tons, 2 hundredweights and 42 lbs of jams and jellies, plus 8157 cans and 184 bottles of fruit, tomatoes etc., 36 pints of rose hip syrup and 8 hundredweights of chutney! Phew, that is a lot of counting, let alone the massive effort of food preservation.

Food rationing ended in 1954, the same year that Premium Bonds were introduced. Around this time, Greys WI proposed that "smoking be prohibited in public places, especially cinemas" How far advanced were they in their thinking?

In 1963 Warborough & Shillingford WI wanted an increase in the subs, saying that 5 shillings was insufficient to avoid further fundraising.

This photo is from the 1979 Annual Council meeting and shows, OFWI Chairman, Pat Barrett, standing and addressing the meeting, with cups and awards certificates at the ready. On the left hand edge of the photo is Vice Chairman, Agnes Salter (later to become a National Chair). Also, in the back row, fourth from the left is a former OFWI Chairman, Joyce Millward, of Harwell WI. Both these ladies are remembered by having Federation bursaries for Denman College in their names.

Aston & Cote WI commemorated their 60th Anniversary in 1991 with a wall hanging, which now hangs proudly in their Village Hall. It depicts various aspects of the surrounding area, with each smaller picture having been crafted by an individual member. It shows the local farms and their animals, the Church and it's new bell fund, the War Memorial with poppy wreaths and the 1991 pantomime of Cinderella.

Wolvercote WI, the oldest WI in the Federation, went on an outing to the British Empire Exhibition in 1924. The group includes Miss Fletcher, Mrs Robinson, Mrs Taylor, Mrs Bessie Loveridge, Mrs Collett, Miss Rowland, Mrs Hutt, Mrs Brookes and Mrs Fathers. They went in two buses and the charge per head was 10/- including a ticket to the Exhibition priced 1/6d!

STANFORD-IN-THE-VALE WI

In a 1969 newspaper article, Stanford-in-the-Vale WI, formed in 1920, notes that its records were destroyed by fire during the war years. However, members gathered together for their 50th anniversary to fill in the gaps with their memories. One member's mother, Mrs Kate Hunter, was a founder member and she designed their banner, with the White Horse, the Vale and Frogmore Brook on it. First meetings were held at the Vicarage, with the Vicar's wife, Mrs Huntingford, also an early member. Meetings have since moved, via the Working Men's Club to the Church Hall and now they meet in the Village Hall. Stanford had an army camp during World War 2 and the WI helped with the NAAFI and clothes making for the soldiers.

The members used to take part in costumed pageants, the one shown from 1927, depicting countries of the world. Britannia was portrayed by Edith Lay, the mother of current member and ex-President Mary Wyatt. Another mother in the pageant was Ju Smith, mother of 89 year old member, Doris Marshall, one of the children in the front of the photo. Doris and Mary are cousins, although several years apart in age, as their mothers were sisters.

Produce was taken to Wantage Market by horse and cart, local campaigns were waged: once to get litter bins, once for a change of bus times and once to get the nearby council tip cleared of flies! They ran classes in making slippers, lampshades and baskets. In 1969 this WI had a drama group and raised money for local hospitals and hospices, which it still does periodically.

FOREST HILL WI

Forest Hill WI closed in the early 1990s but they still have a picture of their banner in their Village Hall, see photo, although it is unclear whether this was ever made up. This was painted by Kathleen McClean an artist who, as Kathleen Hale, wrote and illustrated the children's books, Orlando the Marmalade Cat. Some members now belong to Stanton St. John WI.

SUTTON COURTENAY WI

Sutton Courtenay WI, founded in 1921, actually disbanded during the war years, but reformed afterwards. Their photos show them dancing the Can-can in a 1986 show and the committee of the time are pictured beneath a wall plaque they presented to the Village Hall for the Millennium.

GARSINGTON WI

Garsington WI, founded in 1929, have a photo from 1953 of a float they entered into the Village Fete to commemorate the Coronation of HM the Queen. Their first President, Mrs. Liddell remained in office for 14 years and then Mrs. Mary King was their President for a further 11 years. There was obviously no three-year limit in force then! Regular outings in the early years left the village by bus by 6am and often did not return until midnight. Buses were slower in those days on poorer roads of course. Nevertheless they travelled as far away as Weymouth, Bournemouth, Southampton to see the Queen Mary and the Cheddar Gorge. Their wartime jam-making centred on supplying The Radcliffe Hospital with jam for wounded servicemen and these days their members still support the Hospital in other ways.

DEDDINGTON WI

Deddington WI (encompassing Clifton and Hempton) was founded in 1925; one of the stained glass windows in the church is dedicated to their first President, Muriel Vane Jones. Muriel's mother, Mary Vane Turner (a later President) achieved joint 2nd prize in an OFWI Village Writing competition. This book, "The Story of Deddington", was later published in 1933. In 2008, (the 75th Anniversary of this publication) Deddington and District History Society reproduced the book with additional personal details. Whilst meetings continued with the emphasis on learning and broadening the experiences of rural women, members were jointly pro-active in and organised the Annual Village Fetes and Pageants. Wartime records show that members were involved in the collection of rosehips, horse chestnuts and stinging nettles. They were also knitting socks for soldiers in Burma, making slippers for soldiers on leave in Europe, and "sending any household articles that could be spared to the innumerable bombed-out people of Poplar." They also agreed "to collect the names of old people to whom the Government would give cocoa."

On one occasion "the Committee met to discuss a proposed Expedition to Stratford-on-Avon", for, "after much goading a permit had been obtained from the petroleum office, Mr Hall having put a bus at our disposal." It was a curious coincidence that the first WI Outing since the War with Germany, occurred on the very day of Victory over Japan. In spite of the resultant closing of shops and tea-rooms an enjoyable day was had and 20 members saw "Much Ado" at the Memorial Theatre. The Monthly Meeting was postponed for a week because of the celebration of victory over Germany.

In these early days the WI was the only social life for most women. Originally the Institute met in the afternoons and children under school age were allowed to attend as long as they "weren't disruptive." 50 years on, home grown entertainment was much in vogue, as is shown in the accompanying photos from the 1970s.

OFWI

Berinsfield WI sent in an old Oxford Mail press cutting from 1938 about the OFWI Annual Meeting, which was held in the Masonic Building in Oxford, and features a photograph of some very prominent national figures who attended the meeting. Grace Haddow is the hatless lady in the front, with Lady Denman in the fur coat and hat holding her briefcase. On the extreme left, also wearing a fur coat, is the retiring President, Gladys Ashhurst. The article states that our Federation then had a membership of 5,820 (4600) in 108 (152) Institutes, so there were more members but in less Institutes, meaning some of them were quite large, such as Witney which had 181 (25) members. [The figures in brackets show our current membership numbers for comparison.]

Going through some suspended WI records, the County Archivist came across Ipsden & North Stoke WI's scrapbooks, going back to pre-war times, which include some very pictorial pages of drawings and competition items. This WI was suspended in 2007, but several members have moved on to join other WIs. Photographed are a page from 2002 featuring a "how many leaves in the garden can you identify on one page" competition and a page from 1973 on "birds we can see around the village", the latter beautifully drawn and painted. A competition for something new out of something old was won with a mat made from old silk stockings. Other competitions included deportment and an annual one on potato production, where members were given one seed potato and had to weigh in at a later meeting to see how much they could produce from it. In 1937, one member's potato produced seven and a half pounds of potatoes!

A monthly Social Half Hour covered such lively things as Country Dancing, singing, charades, skipping and apple bobbing. A Christmas party was given for members' children, giving an insight into the members' ages before the war and this was later widened to include evacuee children and their mothers, who moved into the village during the war. Paste or jam sandwiches were the fare on offer and take-home presents of an orange, an apple and a balloon were all donated by members and gleefully accepted by the children from a visiting Santa.

All of this interesting information just from scrapbooks shows how important it is for us all to keep them as detailed as possible with reports as well as photos.

In July 2003 OFWI organised a trip down the river on a paddle steamer. Members are seen here lounging on the upper deck in the sun on the 'New Orleans', which took them up and down river from Henley. The Board of Trustees had catered for a lovely lunch, served by them on board, with seating below stairs for those who had taken enough of the sun. The bridge in Henley and the church near the river can be seen in the background. What a lovely decadent day for members to enjoy the delights of the river, passing wildlife and fine houses along the way. This venture has not been repeated since, (it was a lot of work for the Trustees and is probably very expensive to do now), and so it is worth remembering to have a go when you see a nice outing come up, as it may not happen again.

Pictured here is the OFWI choir, of 1979. Is anyone able to name any of the choristers, or maybe even recognise themselves? This information would greatly help us to keep our archives as complete as possible at the Federation. A choir was started in Hailey during the war, with the Vicar leading the Hailey Choral Society. Concerts were given in schools, churches and hospitals, including the one at Finstock. This was of course a mixed choir, not all WI members, so if anyone has a choir now or had one in their past, please send us a story in.

Since our appeal for names of the choir, we have found out the following: nearest to the organ is Eileen Leach (nee Stickley) then Sheila Nelson, Jane Warde-Aldam and Jean Pellow from Stoke Lyne WI.

In 1943 the WI at Hailey made the highest yield of jam in Oxfordshire under the Preservation Scheme, making one third of the total for the whole county. This WI organised salvage collection, helped by the children of the village, which produced an income from the sale of scrap metal and rags. This money was used for wool and Hailey WI knitted up four sacks full to make garments for the Merchant Navy, socks for soldiers in Burma and clothes for children under the European Relief Scheme. This WI was so determined to get to the Evenlode Group Meetings that they started up a Cycle Club and a group of 20 or more would cycle to meetings at a time when other transport was scarce and attendance from further afield was very sparse. Along with many others to do so, these kindly WI ladies held parties at Christmas for the evacuee children that had been taken in.

WOLVERCOTE WI

This WI was formed in 1918 and is currently the oldest WI in Oxfordshire. They unearthed a document recently that relates to an intent to raise money for a WI/Public Hall to be built on land donated by the Duke of Marlborough. To start the fund off, the WI gave £150 which it had raised since 1919 for this purpose, and a minimum of £1500 was sought to build the hall raised from WI and other community users, individuals and groups. 1929 saw the Declaration of Intent and in 1932 the Village Hall was opened.

Cleeve-by-Goring WI

This WI was formed on 27 March 1962 with 35 members present. Members have a long history of taking part in extra-curricular activities such as singing, dancing, bell ringing, play reading and acting. Since 1968, Cleeve-by-Goring WI has served tea and cake by the river on three Sundays in August to raise money for local charities. Home entertainment has been a big part of their meetings, especially at Christmas time. The first recorded home entertainment is of miming at the May meeting in 1962. A pantomime written by Chris Cox in 1990 called, 'When Norman the Gnome comes to Goring' is shown in the photo, with members Joan Timberlake, Chris Cox, Beryl Cooper, Janet Wayling and Enid Cowley taking part.

West Witney WI

In 1995 West Witney WI, in only its second year, made the local papers by collecting underwear to send abroad via the Carterton Romania Aid Appeal. The President, Jean Hammond, chose to call it 'Knickers for Romania' , which prompted the paper's interest for such an inventive scheme. This was a big success and resulted in many knickers being collected and hand delivered by a lady who said they were very gratefully received.

Cassington WI

In 1986, Cassington WI had their name in the local Gazette, when they greeted ten disabled cyclists who were on a 1000 mile charity ride. As they passed through Oxford, the Mayor and OFWI Chairman, Joyce Millward, also greeted them. Cassington WI members provided lunch and a rest point for the riders during their five-day journey.

Combe WI

In 1966, Combe WI had campaigned for three years to get a baby clinic in their village to save young mothers from having to push their prams on the long walk to the nearest clinic in the next village. Many members, young mums themselves, manned the clinic, weighing babies and issuing milk and orange juice. The WI was formed in 1931 and this photo shows members in 1956 on an outing to Cadbury's in Bourneville.

Botley WI

Botley WI was formed in 1919, initially in Berkshire before boundary changes. One of the lucky WIs to own its own hall which was built in 1928 and used as a wartime canning centre, amongst many other uses. Early meetings, possibly of the Committee were held at the President's house, a Miss Toynbee. Famed for their Drama Group, they have staged productions such as "Sing a Song of Sixpence". Dated from the 1920s, the picture is of Mrs Enoch hanging out the washing. The current President is also wondering what the connection was with Cumnor WI, as this is the banner in the photo.

The Jackson Five are portrayed in the other photo and consisted of June Pheysey-Jones, Kate Sansome, Sue Freeman and Jenny Holloway (President now). The missing 'Jackson' is thought to have been Pat Carter. Their current membership of 36, has a third of them on committee, it is such a popular appointment.

South & North Moreton WI

In 1965, South & North Moreton WI commemorated their Jubilee by holding a series of whist drives, coffee mornings and raffle to raise £62.00 to purchase a wheelchair for Didcot Hospital. The photo shows the then President, Mrs A Howat (who is still an active member), presenting the wheelchair to the Matron, Mrs M Munt. It was reported in both the Oxford Mail and the Reading Mercury where Mrs Munt said that "the wheelchair was something she had been trying to get for a long time and its value to the patients, in enabling them to become more independent, is immense."

Standlake WI

On January 22, 1932 a formation meeting was held in the Village Hall for Standlake WI. Miss Hemmings was then elected as President "with acclamation". It was agreed to have a committee of 10 to be elected by ballot, that girls be admitted to membership at the age of 14 and new members be elected through, and approved by, the committee. The age of membership was later raised to 16 in 1933. On the first committee was Mrs Janet Clack, who later donated the Janet Clack bursary to the Institute, still awarded today. We can be pretty sure that hats were worn at meetings and members addressed as Miss or Mrs for many years. Early demonstrations were on the whole practical, on how to make such things as loose covers, knitted rugs, pork pies, on home dyeing and keeping an ideal home. Various lantern talks were held in the pre-war years, one entitled "Why Wash?"

In the 1930s letters were sent to the Postmaster re Sunday collection of letters and to the Parish Council about the heavy motor traffic in the village (1933) and about dealing with rubbish - not much has changed!

Early competitions included making paper hats, the best article for 6d, the best article from an old sack, a necklace of kitchen utensils and a hat made from vegetables. Social time was lively, with singing and dancing and musical entertainments and plays, often given by visiting Institutes.

Early in 1939 the WI nearly folded, but it was decided to carry on, although membership was much reduced - down to 19 in 1940. Wartime collections of waste paper, old irons and salvage are referred to, also knitting comforts for the troops and assisting with the distribution of ration books. There were wartime cookery classes and economy talks on make do and mend. Membership slowly increased and by the time of the 50th anniversary in 1982 there were about 50 members. A banner was designed and made by two of the members, and a show of fashions from 1932 onwards given by teenage daughters of members was a highlight. Mrs Clack, an original founder, was welcomed to the party. In February 2007 Standlake WI celebrated their 75th anniversary!.

Yarnton WI

Extract from 'Bygone Yarnton' booklet written by a former WI Member, Mrs Joan Roe in April 1989.

At the Grapes Pub in Yarnton, the large upstairs room with its uneven wooden floor was used for WI Meetings forty years ago in 1949. I recall some hilarious times with strange situations which used to occur, as everything had to take place in the one room. Even the large black kettle had to be boiled on the open fire to make the tea, and it often insisted on interrupting the speaker by boiling over, whereupon a very old and much loved member, Bertha Charlett, would halt proceedings while she rescued the pot.

Carterton WI

Carterton was founded in 1900 by William Carter, initially the village attracted about 150 residents who were mainly market gardeners. In 1922 three pioneering women, the vicar's wife Jessie Offley-Shaw (on right), Annie Clarke, wife of Ernest Christmas Clarke of 'Belmont' Burford Road and Gladys Hammett (on left) wife of a St Dunstans veteran, blinded in the trenches, came from London to a poultry farm in Carterton, and established Carterton WI. A parcel of land close to the centre of the village was purchased by the WI in 1925 for £25. This was a huge sum of money for such a small and relatively poor community. By 1926 Carterton WI had 62 members- virtually all the adult females in the village and by 1927 they had purchased and erected a large tin and timber hall.

The Hall was the social centre of the village where dances and entertainments could take place. To raise funds to pay for the building, cake, produce and flower stalls were held but this was not enough and Annie and Ernest Clarke mortgaged their own property to raise the capital.

The WI Hall still stands today at the heart of the community, and is still providing a wealth of services from Coffee Shop to Dance school, solely maintained by WI members.

Without the indomitable determination of ladies like Annie Clarke and Gladys Hammett Carterton WI might never have happened. What spirit these ladies must have had!

[The photographs are of Mrs Hammett (taken on their 50th Anniversary) and Mrs Offley-Shaw (taken in 1920's) but sadly there is not one of Mrs Clarke in the archives.]

Shipton-under-Wychwood WI

Shipton under Wychwood WI have sent in this cheeky photo taken in 2004, so bringing us more up to date and in complete contrast, but still nonetheless archive material. At an evening of sketches in November 2004, Shipton under Wychwood WI gave their own take on Calendar Girls by presenting their 'Colander Girls', dressed or rather undressed as the Four Seasons. Their member producer was Daphne Waugh and our Four Seasons pictured are Margaret Hartley, Pat Bannister, Pat Forster and Christine Halliday.

Marston WI

Marston WI was formed in 1921. In their minutes from 1938 they recorded 17 new members and in 1939 they recorded that 9 new members had joined. A talk from Lady Redesdale on "A Child on a Sailing Ship" and "Girls' Work Camps in Germany" reflected the hard times and possibly an even greater need for the camaraderie of the WI. They had a Spelling evening with the Marston Cooperative Women's Guild and regularly held two jumble sales each year, one for their funds and one for the Nursing Association. When war broke out, they put their minds to how they could help and held first aid and home nursing classes. Members worked at the Radcliffe Infirmary, the Ration Department and the Red Cross and helped with billeting evacuated children. Meetings were still held, but shortened because of the blackout. Teas and garden parties were held and games played, including an obstacle race!

Yarnton WI

Sheila Westall, Yarnton WI has sent in a collection of old postcards dated 1940 concerning the jam-making and canning activities for the War effort undertaken by WIs across the county. It is interesting to realise that the best way to communicate then was by post - no home telephones, and certainly no mobiles or email! The sepia coloured postcards carry red penny stamps bearing King George's image, and are all addressed to OFWI at Barnett House in Oxford. They are from various canning stations at Bicester, Little Tew, Hook Norton, Charlbury and Horton-Cum-Studley and say;    Can we have the canner next week? We have lots of plums ready now; please can we have the machine? We have used all of our 1cwt of sugar so have cancelled our next session, please get another permit The Cropredy Domestic Science Centre has offered us a Calor gas preserving pan which will make 70lbs of jam at a time and we can use their kitchen for our plums Ambrosden wants to preserve blackberries on Tuesday and Chesterton want some sugar on Thursday, we need another permit for more, have only half cwt left

Some of these pleas sound very urgent and desperately in need of sugar, which was government provided to WIs jamming any fruit they could get hold of in quantity.

The WI was also canning tomatoes and other vegetables and fruit and it would seem the canning machines were few and far between, being passed around the centres to use. Perhaps next time someone scoffs at our Jam reputation, they need reminding how we got it and how important it was to do this work in times of rationing!

Sheila Westall also sent this photo of the 1989 OFWI Executive at a garden party to celebrate the Federation's 70th birthday at Greys Court, home of Lady Brunner in Henley who is pictured seated second from the left.

LADY BRUNNER

Denman College was purchased in 1947 and officially opened in 1948. Pictured at the microphone for this ceremony is Sir Richard Livingstone and, seated far right, is Lady Brunner. Both of them were highly instrumental in turning the idea of a National WI College into a reality. Lady Brunner was a member of Greys WI near Henley and rose quickly, via OFWI Chairmanship, to become the third Chairman of the NFWI.

Here Lady Brunner is seen welcoming Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, to the National AGM at the Royal Albert Hall in 1954. Like a lot of the members attending the AGM, the Queen Mother is wearing one of her many hats. How different to now, with no royal presence and hardly a hat to be seen. As National Chairman, Lady Brunner went on to start the Keep Britain Tidy Group, which was a direct result of a resolution passed at the AGM. These photos are from the archives at Denman College.

This colour photo is from the Greys WI scrapbook and shows Lady Brunner in 2000, cutting the 80th anniversary cake for her WI, of which she remained a loyal member serving as President and Secretary during a lot of her time there. She lived in Rotherfield Greys at Greys Court, (a house which she and her husband gave to the National Trust while still living there) until her death in 2003 at the age of 98.