Leonard Stanley WI with Ann Taylor

IT WAS a great shame that so many of our members were stricken with a nasty cold/flu bug because those of us who were fit enjoyed a really jolly and instructive afternoon in February when Ann Taylor, until recently the education officer at Stroud Museum, came with a box of by-gones which we tried to identify.

Some of the objects caused no problems.

One member immediately identified the gauffering iron since she had learnt to use one at her domestic science college.

The bottle which had held Lysol disinfectant brought back memories for our former nurse, but was there ever really a rack to hold churchwarden pipes standing in the hearth of a local pub?

Apparently so.

The old fashioned clothes peg brought back memories of mothers buying from travelling gypsies just to make sure that they were not cursed, and the little penny lick ice-cream glasses were a powerful reminder of treats bought with one’s pocket money.

Most of the items were local, but one item remains a mystery to the museum staff.

A very old but beautifully stitched farmer’s smock which was brought in and left without any hint as to the owner.

Does anyone know anything about it?

Later in the meeting members shared their own mementos, which included a beautiful christening gown, a musical box and Chinese writing materials.

We also made arrangements to help at a Lent lunch on February 28, (all profits to go to the Willow Trust), we were reminded of the Group meeting on April 11, and an outing to Herefordshire to visit a cheese manufactory and to tour the famous black and white villages was also proposed.

We know that our next meeting on Monday, March 12, at 2.15pm will be excellent, since we are to have a return visit from Philip Mugridge who is a wonderful wildlife photographer.

He will share his images of wildlife around his home, which is the Forest of Dean.

If you would like to come as a visitor you are more than welcome.

Who knows, you may even want to join our friendly group!