The Women's Institute was founded in 1897 in Stoney Creek, Ontario, by Adelaide Hoodless. By 1913, institutes had been established in every Canadian province. In 1919, provincial representatives met in Winnipeg to form the Federated Women's Institute of Canada. The Women's Institute was designed to promote quality of life in rural Canada and to foster the advancement of rural women. The first Women's Institute in Manitoba was organized in 1910, in Morris, Manitoba. The Crocus Women's Institute was created in the fall of 1946. The charter for the group was issued on November 25, 1946. One of the first projects of the group included sending food parcels to Britain until war rationing was discontinued. The main focus of the Institute was the local school: the Institute sponsored essay contests and provided furniture for the school. The Institute also sponsored a garden club and held a garden show for many years. Finally, the group had an annual Christmas Cheer project. The Crocus WI disbanded in 1984.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned in 2002 by the McKee Archives. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains member lists in the form of roll calls from 1946-1984. There are also Women's Institute Programs from the years 1946-1984. Fonds also includes the organization's minutes, financial records and annual reports from 1946-84, a scrapbook for the years 1946-1984, and the Certificate of Organization for the Crocus Women's Institute, dated September 5, 1950.
Related women's institute collections in the McKee Archives include:
Manitoba Women's Institute; Minnedosa Women's Institute; Cordova Women's Institute; Clanwilliam Women's Institute; Rathwell Women's Institute; Strathclair Women's Institute; Crocus Women's Institute; Southwest A Region - Manitoba Women's Institute; Douglas Women's Institute
Hamilton was hired in 1984, as a Brandon University employee but became a Cook from approximately 1989 until 2002. In 2002 she became the Manager of Food Services at Brandon University, as a Brandon University employee. In 2003, the contract for Versa Foods (formerly called Aramark Canada) expired, and Brandon University decided not to renew the contract and decided to operate the Food Services themselves, with Hamilton remaining a BU employee. The position was renamed Food Services Manager (replacing Food Services Director) c. 2002; Food Services is part of Ancillary Services, which is headed by the Director of Ancillary Services with the Food Services manager reporting to that individual.
Custodial History
Photograph was tranfered to the McKee Archives from the Public Communications Office in the winter of 2007.
Scope and Content
Photograph of Koren Hamilton preparing food for a campus event.
