IT WAS one of those occasions when everyone wanted to be at the front.

Those at the back had to do a little arm stretching to make sure their banners were seen.

The women were all members of the Women’s Institute and they had just attended a service at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford.

Afterwards, as you can see, members of many of the county branches posed for a picture in Tom Quad.

The photograph was taken in 1994 as the movement in Oxfordshire marked its 75th anniversary.

The theme of the anniversary year was the tea party, after Tetley donated more than 13,000 packs of tea, plus milk, sugar and tea cloths, to institutes throughout the country.

Many in Oxfordshire celebrated with cream tea parties, beetle drives and ploughman’s lunches, while bellringing members rang a quarter peal at North Aston church.

Money collected at the parties was given to children’s charities, including Barnados, the British Deaf Association, the Leukaemia Research Fund and a trust at Bristol which supported children with learning and behaviour problems.

The WI movement was formed in Canada in 1897 and arrived in Britain in 1915, the first branch being formed at Llanfair on Anglesey.

The first in Oxfordshire was at Kelmscott, near Witney, in 1916. The Oxfordshire Federation of Women’s Institutes was formed in 1919 and today serves as the umbrella group for nearly 150 branches in the county.

Federation member Christine Usherwood told delegates in 1994: “After the Great War in 1919, there was a terrible shortage of men and there was no social gathering for women.

“The Women’s Institute let women meet once a month to share experiences and listen to a speaker on domestic topics.”

Members in Oxfordshire celebrated the national WI centenary in 2015 with another service and display of banners at Christ Church.

Another notable event was a baton relay to all parts of the country. In Oxfordshire, the baton crossed the county by boat, horse and cart, vintage MG and fire engine as well as from hand to hand by members young and old.

Celebrations will be held next year to celebrate the Oxfordshire WI centenary.