MOVING house is never easy – and that proved to be true when the Women’s Institute decided to seek pastures new.

There was considerable opposition from members when it was proposed to give up premises in Middle Way, Summertown, Oxford, and open new offices at Tackley.

Finding a new home for the Oxfordshire Federation of Women’s Institutes had become necessary because of a residents’ parking scheme.

“Something had to be done, but it was not unanimously popular,” one member recalls with some understatement.

The task of convincing members that the move was in their best interests fell to Liz Eaton, a member of Warborough and Shillingford WI, who was Federation chairman from 2000-2004.

A decade later, the move has proved successful, with easier parking for visitors and better working conditions for staff. The contribution Mrs Eaton and others have made to the movement is being remembered as the WI nationally celebrates its centenary this year.

The Oxfordshire Federation, representing nearly 150 branches in the county, moved to Middle Way in 1972 after earlier renting offices in Oxford city centre.

Members of the executive shared the task of visiting every WI to explain the proposal. Agreement finally came and the new offices opened after £11,500 had been spent on adapting and refurbishing the building.

Joan Illingworth of Over Norton WI, who was federation chairman from 1968 to 1973, was widely praised for leading the project.

Another prominent member in the first 100 years of the WI was Lady Brunner of Greys Court, near Henley-on-Thames, who was active in Oxfordshire and nationally. She is remembered for masterminding the purchase of Marcham Park, now Denman College, which offers courses on numerous topics to WI members from all over the country.

Others remembered include Betty Causer (Hardwick and Ducklington WI), who was federation chairman from 1980-82 and Barbara Gray (Wolvercote WI), twice federation chairman from 1982-85 and 1990-93, who helped create new WIs and initiated events to be taken around the county to avoid members travelling long distances.

Joyce Millward (Harwell WI) is remembered for a bruising radio interview. Taunted about the WI movement’s reputation for Jam and Jerusalem, she retorted: “Yes, we do sing Jerusalem and we make bloody good jam.”