Fonds 036 - Chelmsford Women's Institute

Identity area

Reference code

ON00120 036

Title

Chelmsford Women's Institute

Date(s)

  • 1883 - 1987 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

0.21 m of textual records and graphic material

Context area

Name of creator

(1949 - 1960)

Administrative history

The Chelmsford Women's Institute was founded on June 3rd, 1949. It was created by the women of Chelmsford as a branch of the pre-existing Women's Institutes in Canada, founded by Adelaide Hoodless in 1897. Mrs. Grace McCrystal (nee Vaillancourt) organized the first meeting at her home in Chelmsford and sixteen ladies attended to listen to District President, Mrs. H. Williams, and District Secretary, Mrs. J. Hamilton, explain the work and aims of the Women's Institute.

The organization was founded as a non-partisan and non-sectarian group with the primary goal of education. Standing committees included Agriculture and Canadian Industries, Citizenship and Education, Community Activities and Public Relations, Historic Research and Current Events, Home Economics and Health, and Resolutions.

The Women's Institute helped local families in need, usually by raising funds, donating clothing or sending flowers. They also gave monetary donations to national causes, such as the Red Cross, presented papers at meetings on the topics of agriculture, local history, geography, shopping and hygiene and hosted events for members, such as baby showers, Christmas gift exchanges and sleigh rides. The group also took it upon themselves to document the history of Chelmsford with the creation of their Tweedsmuir History Scrapbooks between 1949 and 1956. The research for these scrapbooks was undertaken by their Historic Research and Current Events Standing Committee Convener, Rose Cvitkovich.

The Chelmsford Women's Institute officially disbanded in 1960.

Former Presidents of the Chelmsford Women's Institute include:

Mrs. A. Rheaume (1949 - 1950)
Mrs. Albert DeFinney (December 1950 - April 1951)
Mrs. Yvonne Trottier (nee Paquette) (1951 - 1952, 1953 - 1955)
Mrs. G. Castonguay (1952)
Mrs. R. Cvitkovich (1956)

Archival history

Rose Cvitkovich's son Steve Cvitkovich donated the records to the Sudbury Public Library after the passing of his mother in 2003. The Sudbury Public Library transferred the records to the Archives in 2010.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

ACC2010-036, Greater Sudbury Public Library

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds consists of two scrapbooks created by the Chelmsford Women's Institute and nine papers written by various members of the group.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Further accruals are not expected.

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English
  • French

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    One of the papers is written in French, while the scrapbooks and other papers are written in English.

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

    Finding aids

    Series, file, and item lists are available.

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

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    Notes area

    Alternative identifier(s)

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    Description control area

    Description identifier

    Institution identifier

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Status

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    Language(s)

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        Accession area