THE autumn meeting of the Anton Danebury Group was held at the end of October, at the Fairground Hall, Weyhill.

It was an ideal opportunity for members from all the WIs in the group to get together, chat and swap ideas.

They could sign up for outings to see the Christmas illuminations at Kew Gardens, go on a theatre trip to London to see the new musical ‘Calendar Girls’ and could hear about many plans for Hampshire WIs organised by the Hampshire Federation from the new WI House in Eastleigh.

The speaker was Ann Chance who told her audience about some of the dramas in her varied life when she was a child and teenager. She was born just before WW2 in south London. Her family home was bombed and the family was evacuated to Yorkshire, where they had relatives.

Sometimes what she told her audience was very moving, interspersed with humour.

Ann has many talks which she has given over the years about her many and varied exploits and it is amazing that she has survived all her adventures and can recount them with so much humour.

For their November meeting the members of Goodworth Clatford WI enjoyed a craft workshop where they had the opportunity to be guided through creating some beautiful Christmas table decorations.

With an array of foliage, flowers, candles, berries and sparkly baubles it was a sociable evening with the more experienced members sharing their knowledge with those new to this skill and at the end of the evening more than 40 beautiful finished products were displayed! Earlier in the month several members enjoyed the autumn colours in a walk around the fields of the farm where the Boaz charity for adults with mental disabilities has its home. Members enjoyed homemade soup, rolls and biscuits and an opportunity to look around and see the excellent work done by the members of the charity with the help of a very dedicated staff.

The WI Members are now looking forward to getting in the festive mood with a visit to the Salisbury Playhouse pantomime to see 'Aladdin' – with a meal out.

The speaker / demonstrator at the November meeting of Andover Afternoon WI was Jen Best of ‘Beaker Button’ wool and craft shop at the Weyhill Fairground Craft Centre.

She talked about the history of Dorset buttons while she demonstrated how to make the simple crosswheel button. Everyone made at least one button.

Making buttons originally started as a cottage industry, and a way that the farmers’ wives and the wives of all the agricultural labourers could have an income while looking after their families. Dorset buttons were made for about 200 years, but the industry was killed off, almost overnight, by the introduction of the machine-made linen button, which had been exhibited at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851.

Everyone enjoyed Jen’s relaxed way of chatting while she demonstrated and walking around the room offering help when it was needed. All this, while she related the history of the buttons.

The president of Charlton WI welcomed members and guests to their November meeting.

A member listed the resolutions to be voted on by January, one which will be selected to discuss at the National Federation of Women’s Institutes annual meeting in June.

Members were then spirited off to the Galapagos Islands, in the Pacific Ocean. Sporting yellow printed t-shirts as proof, three members entertained with talks and photographs taken during their expedition to these fantastic islands. Living aboard a sailing ship was not always easy but the voyagers kept their sense of humour and had a wonderful adventure taking in the wide variety of flora and fauna and tracking down the statue of Charles Darwin.

For some members of Abbotts Ann WI the November meeting enjoyed a trip down memory lane as the speaker, Jill Hannington, shared her memories of Andover during her childhood in the 1940s and 50s.

Their journey back in time started at Hundred Acre Corner at the top of Weyhill Road travelling into town past Gallagher’s butcher’s shop, Gill’s Café, Burbidge’s Bakery and the Linga Longa Café. They then crossed over the railway bridge, where they could glimpse the grain silos that were at one time served by their own railway track, subsequently joining the main line in Andover. There were images of a newly-built St Michael and All Angels Church replacing the little mission hall, just beyond the church was the huge printing works of the Chapel River Press better known to some as Kelly’s Directories — one of the largest employers in Andover and in its heyday employing 900 people. The Kelly’s Sports and Social Club at times hosted some well-known ‘names’ and raised substantial amounts of money for charity. One member can recall paying 6d for Ann Sidney's autograph — Miss World in 1964.

Members went on to hear how so many lovely old buildings in and around the town were demolished to make way for road widening schemes, dual-carriageways, shops and offices. Jill had many photographs of the town centre, explaining all the buildings and reviving many, many memories for those members who have lived in and around Andover for decades, but not necessarily back to the 1940s!

There were photographs of Andover Junction (now just known as the Railway Station). It was a very important and busy junction serving trains travelling from London to the West Country and Southampton. Jill recalls the circus animals being transported by rail to Andover for the annual circus held on the Walled Meadow, with the elephants being walked through the town. The original ticket office of Andover Town Station (then in Bridge Street) is now stored at the Railway Museum in York awaiting a suitable place to re-assemble it.

Memories were awakened when Jill mentioned Daisy Dell — not only as a picnic spot, but also a favourite venue for courting couples. Jill’s talk finished with a picture of Andover’s most famous pop group, the Troggs!

The speaker at the November meeting of Andover Evening WI was Neil Stewart who treated his audience us to some stunning photography while he talked about ‘Beating About the Bush’. The bush in question was the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

He travels in very small safari groups, with only three or four people, who are all keen photographers. They need lots of patience to get their photographs and are out before sun up and stay out all day, using a specially customised Toyota Land Cruiser. Trackers are out before them, trying to find the required animals, including hippos. These animals are not friendly; they cause more deaths than any other animal, can move remarkably fast, and when they charge, they do not stop – with no warnings given.

As there is no light pollution many photographs are taken at night. Neil regaled the members with valuable information about the creatures in his pictures, which made for a lovely evening.

In the business part of the meeting the president of the WI informed the members that she had made up a hamper for the Hampshire County Federation of Women’s Institute’s ‘Basket Fayre’ being held near Winchester Cathedral at the beginning of December. The theme was ‘Food for One Person’. £29.59 had been raised for Associated Country Women of The World earlier in the year.

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of Andover Evening WI, many members went to Esseborne Manor for an evening meal, which had been much enjoyed.

The WI’s secretary read out some pages from the first (not the inaugural) meeting, which were enjoyable and quite lively. One of the members present at the dinner was actually a founder member, so she shared a few of her memories too. Everyone had enjoyed an interesting and convivial evening.