Kemble Women's Institute - Kemble, Ontario - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

A set table sculpture and plaque commemorating 110 years of the Kemble Women's Institute, oldest active women's institute in the world, 1897 - 2007, located at a 'lookout' across Georgian Bay, Lake Huron.

The plaque reads:
KEMBLE WOMEN’S INSTITUTE
1897 - 2007
OLDEST ACTIVE WOMEN’S INSTITUTE IN THE WORLD

In the summer of 1897, Mrs. Clara Gardner hitched up her horse and buggy and went house to
house in Kemble, Sarawak, North Keppel and Lake Charles inviting rural women to meet and
form a Women's Institute based on the original Stoney Creek Institute. She felt it would be a
boon for local women to meet monthly co discuss homemaking problems and exchange ideas.
Her themes were “men’s work is from sun to sun, but women's work is never done" and “if you
know a good thing ~ pass it on”.

In early September, twenty-three founding members met in the Library Hall to form the third Women’s Institute In the World. Clara
Gardner was local President for the first ten years, helped organize other Branches in Grey County, and served as first President of the
Grey County Federated Women’s Iustitute in 1907 and 1908. Clara Gardner was an outstanding public spirited woman, cut from the
same cloth as two famous Grey County women - Agnes MacPhail, Canada’s first female Member of Parliament and Nellie McClung,
noted women's rights activist.

Today, the Women's Institute has over 500 branches in Ontario, they offer quality education and support programs, advocating social
and economic changes, and working towards the personal growth and empowerment of all women. Queen Elizabeth, a member of the
Sandringham Branch, is one of 9,000,000 members worldwide.

To celebrate the 110th anniversary of the Kemble Women’s Institute, now the oldest active Women’s Institute in the World, a flowering
crab apple tree has been planted in loving memory of our founder, the pioneer members and all members who have passed on.

The table is set. Come sit & ponder on our Kemble Women past, present and future making a better community for all.

Dedicated This Day, Tuesday September 11th 2007
By
LARRY MILLER, M.P.
BRUCE - GREY - OWEN SOUND

BUILDING STRONG FAMILIES
& STRONG COMMUNITIES

Beside the main plaque is a list of the founding members:

FOUNDING MEMBERS
KEMBLE WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Clara (Leonard) Gardner, President
Elizabeth (Dodds) Davidson, Vice President
Jannet (Taylor) McGregor, Secretary
Grace (Hoppet) Beckett, Treasurer
Miss Muir, Director (Sarawak)
Mrs. Saunders, Director (Sarawak)
Bessie (Ormiston) Featherston
Annie (Clark) Taylor
Martha (Marshall) West
Elizabeth (Westaway) Tylor
Jane (Menzie) Clark
Elizabeth (Hopper) Ward
Margaret (Wilson) Vanstone
Annie (Ashton) Hurlbut
Nine Unknown Members

"Kemble WIF53
Founded in 1897, by Mrs. James Gardiner, the Kemble Women’s Institute was, proudly, the third branch established in the world, and is still actively serving the Township of Georgian Bluffs and the city of Owen Sound. The village of Kemble is located near the western shore of Georgian Bay, at the intersection of Kemble Rock Road and Concession 20 in the former Keppel Township (now Georgian Bluffs), 18km north of the city of Owen Sound. During its many years of service, this branch has made countless contributions to the community, including, but not limited to, donations to area hospitals and schools, heavy involvement in war relief efforts, and sizeable contributions to the Red Cross and other charities. To fund these efforts, many sales and dinners were hosted and well attended by the community. The large, single volume Tweedsmuir, compiled by the Kemble W.I., was begun in 1963, and contains branch history, member biographies, historical information on local properties, churches, schools and businesses, village history, community events, important people and war efforts."

SOURCE - (visit link)

Group that erected the marker: Women's Institute URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 505469-504623 Grey Rd 1 Wiarton, ON Canada N0H 2T0

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Date Logged Log   08/09/2020 Bon Echo visited it