A potted history of Bulphan WI

A potted history of Bulphan Women Institute

Our institute was formed on April 11th 1929 and had 43 members and they met in the church hall on Thursday afternoons. Bulphan village was about half the size it is now. In 1932, the banner was completed (a red bull head on a green background, in cross-stitch, to represent Bull-fen). This banner is displayed at every meeting and at the Spring Group Meeting.

Between 1939 and 1945, one ton of preserves (jam, fruit Avondjurken 2012 and chutney) was made at the Jam Centre in Bulvan (that how they spelt Bulphan then). Also was raised and sent to the Red Cross for the war effort. In 1956, the institute moved to the Parish Hall, with 65 members. Eileen Fowler (Keep Fit demonstrator of some fame) attended our New Year Party. In 1959, some members went on a 5-day trip to Paris, and in 1960, a group went on an 8-day holiday in Italy! In 1961, the news of the World ran a competition to find a bride-to-be who would win and get married in a replica of the Duchess of Kent wedding dress. There were thousands of entries, but it was won by the daughter of one of our members.

In 1964, we moved to the new village hall (the one we in now), which was built by Thurrock Council to replace the old hall, which had to make way for the By-Pass In 1968, we changed to evening meetings, and 2 years later, decimal currency came in, causing all sorts of headaches! Keep Fit classes Vintage Trouwjurk were started in 1971, and in 1974, the Area Activities Committee was set up (a group of delegates from each of the 14 institutes in the Thames group, who got together to organise rambles, coach outings, quiz nights, concerts, etc for all the institutes in the area).

In February 1975, members made a decision to call each other by their first names and Gladys Preece was asked to find out everyone first name! that same year, there weren enough chairs for everyone at our birthday party, and 2 committee members had to stand all evening. In September 1977, the parish magazine (called The Fen at that time) was first published and has ever since contained an article on the escapades of our WI (it is now the Hobnob).

Bulphan WI tablecloth

Bulphan WI was founded in 1929, with 43 members.

Mrs. Helen Gilson was President from 1952 54. She conceived the idea of producing a tablecloth for the President table, to be signed and embroidered by every member (and every new member after that)

The cloth is used every month at our meetings in the village hall. Occasionally we meet elsewhere and take it with us.

It is of green linen with a crest of gold WI initials intertwined, 3 Canadian maple leaves, an English rose and a crown within a gold oval. There is a rampant lion to the left and a unicorn to the right. A kangaroo in the far left corner represents NAFAS (our alliance with Australia).

Mrs. Helen Gilson made the tablecloth in 1952. Mrs. Floss Gotts embroidered the main crest and Miss Grace Spencer embroidered the kangaroo, lion and unicorn.

Bulphan WI Banner

Our banner was made in 1932, and was a co-operative effort by the 43 members, led by President Miss Cooper. It depicts a corruption of our village name into Bull Fen and was designed by the then Rector of Bulphan, Rev. Teitelbaum. The stitches are all very fine mouwloos avondjurken cross-stitch and we hold a certificate from the National Federation of Women Institutes to show that the banner was exhibited at the New Horticultural Hall in November 1932.

We also hold a certificate from the Federation of Essex Women Institutes as the members gained an Award of Merit Second Class Co-operative in May 1933 for their work on the banner.

Our banner is displayed at every monthly meeting in the village hall, at Spring Group meetings, at Harvest Festivals and other special services in Bulphan Church.