The Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario (FWIO) and the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) will announce a new partnership that will result in the digitization and online presence of significant stories from rural communities right across the province.
The partnership was formalized recently at the FWIO provincial office in Guelph, with FWIO president, Joy Trimble and Ontario Genealogical Society President Don Hinchley signing the agreement.
Ontario Branches of the Women’s Institutes have been gathering and recording local history in their Tweedsmuir Books since 1920. Those one-of-a-kind histories include local settlers and personalities in the area, agricultural practices and industries that formed the basis of the local economy, as well as social institutions such as churches, schools and community centres. For many tiny communities, the Tweedsmuir History is the only history created.
Tweedsmuir History Books are named after Lady Tweedsmuir (wife of a former Governor–General of Canada and an active WI member) who encouraged the creation of those local histories by each Women’s Institute branch. It is estimated that there are 1,000 Tweedsmuir Books in the province, comprising about a half million pages of local history. Very few of these local treasures have been photocopied or digitized and many are in delicate condition. Preserving the stories for future generations provides insight into the heritage of small towns and a snapshot of ancestors and how they lived.
The project is expected to take at least three years to complete. Throughout that time, the OGS will be working with WI branches to coordinate the transfer of information, and restoring books as necessary.
As they are prepared, the digitized Tweedsmuirs will be placed in the OGS e-library where anyone can borrow and read them. There will be a small borrowing fee; the money will go to the maintenance of the original books and to the operation of the lending system.
The first Women’s Institute was established in Stoney Creek, in 1897 and has grown to be an international organization. The Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario works with and for women in rural and small town Ontario. Through the network of branches, they offer educational programming and community support; advocate for social, environmental and eco-nomic change; and work towards the personal growth of all women. The WI is committed to developing women’s talents and today has links with over eight million women in some 60 countries.
The FWIO has almost 6,000 members in Ontario. Visit www.fwio.on.ca for more information.
