Nice WWI Era UK Women's Institute Home Front Food Org. Member Badge

ARTIFACT: Nice WWI era United Kingdom Women's Institute Homefront food production organization member badge. The Women's Institute (WI) was founded in Britain 1915 to promote the war effort by helping to revitalize communities and encouraging more women to become involved in food production. The WI motto "For Home and Country" suited these aims and was readily adopted in 1915. Since then, the aims of the WI have broadened to encompass women's needs that promote better opportunities for self-development, educational skills, participate in a wide variety of activities, networking and campaigning on issues that matters to them and their communities (this link includes current WI campaigns). During WW2, the WI remained active on the Home Front with close links to the Ministry of Food, helping child evacuees, comforts schemes to provide clothing items for the troops, etc.

There are separate WI organizations in Northern Ireland (The Federation of Women's Institutes of Northern Ireland) and in Scotland (The Scottish Women's Rural Institutes, SWRI). The Federation of Women's Institutes is based in London and acts as an umbrella organization for all WIs, they also have close links with the Associated Country Women of the World, ACWW. Funding of the WI continues to come mainly from subscription.

These FOR HOME & COUNTRY badges were certainly in use from the 1920's and into the 1950's. If anyone can supply a more precise dating for the badge's usage, I'd be grateful to know. The WI motto adorns both badges along with a WI monogram in the centre and on the Welsh version this is replaced by the Welsh Red Dragon. The presence of a Canadian maple leaf acknowledges the WI's origins when in 1897, Adelaide Hoodless inaugurated the first WI meeting at Stoney Creek, Canada. It was also in 1897 that the WI motto was adopted.

The Canadian version of this badge is similar but has two maple leaves, the WI monogram and the WI motto. Here's a pic of the New Zealand version of the same badge . There are in addition, many different designs of WI regional badges and these are highly collectable.

References:

(National Federation of Women's Institutes website ??? comprehensive and very informative, well worth exploring)

(ACWW, Associated Country Women of the World website)

VINTAGE: Circa WWI era

SIZE: Approximately 1" x 3/4"

MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION: Enameled, gilt brass

ATTACHMENT: Horizontal British style kick pin with 'C' catch

MARKINGS: "WO LEWIS (BADGES) Ltd, B'HAM"

ITEM NOTES: This is from a Great Britain and Commonwealth Homefront collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. MDX11 LCEX1/16 SCJX4/17

CONDITION: 8- (Very Fine - Excellent): The badge show minor to moderate wear, spot of verdigris, much of the enamel and gilt details remain intact.