The Jubilee Guilds of Newfoundland and Labrador Delegates representing the Jubilee Guilds of New- foundland, attending the F.W.|.C. convention in Guelph, Ontorio_ Front left to rightâ€"Mrs, A. W. Parsons. St. John's,- Mrs. Wells, Gander; back‘ left to rightâ€"Mrs. Huxler Springole; Mrs. George Clark, St. John's; Mrs. Harvey Fryer, Gander; Mrs. Rorke, Carboneor. Photo courtesy Ontario Dept. of Agriculture and Food, N THE 18 0F NOVEMBER 1930. the 0 people of the outports along the south shore of Newfoundland suffered from a disaster from which they were many years recovering. This disaster gave warning of its approach by an earthquake which rocked the houses and sent dishes flying from kitchen shelves. Shortly an enormous tidal wave rolled in from the sea. Now. the houses were lifted from their foundations, fish flakes, boats and equipment were tugged from their moorings. and all went floating away on the gigantic crest of muddy water. This was disaster! Some people were drowned, many were homeless and almost all had lost their means of livelihood. Lady Anderson wife of the lieutenant gov- ernor was much concerned with the plight of the people of the South Shore. She suggested that women of other parts of Newfoundland form groups to help provide clothing and food for the victims of the disaster. Later when the emergency had passed Lady Anderson, who had known of the Women’s Institutes in England, suggested that these groups keep together to form organizations similar to the Women‘s Institutes. This was done in 1935 but the women of Newfoundland decided to call their organization The Jubilee Guilds, since they came into being in the year of the Silver Jubilee. the 25th year of His Majesty, King George’s reign in Great Britain. The direction of the Jubilee Guilds was placed in the hands of a Board of Directors. These were women from the City of St. John's who voluntarily gave their time to the interests of the new organization. Lady Anderson be- came the first president, and an Organizing Secretary Miss Elizabeth McMillan was en- gaged: Later Miss McMillan was succeeded by MISS Anna Templeton. 20 l “l The Jubilee Guilds of Newfoundlar and Labrador took for their motto. (. Wt Confidence and Unity. Primarily the v. {of the Jubilee Guilds down through the yr. 11. been the promotion of handicrafts, MI», weaving and knitting. The Jubilee (iuil phi. vided field workers to train the womi mi. terial with which to work. and a store - M. which the handiwork could be sold. T UN of the material was deducted from the nm from the work and so women couli Mt... clothing for their own families and ad. my family income. In 1945 the Jubilee Guilds affiliul. W the Associated Country Women of th«. um and in 1951 they became part of the FL' .tml Women's Institutes of Canada. Affiliation with the National Orgu_ “W has broadened the work of the Jubilee illtl and their programs are now set up all 1h. lines suggested by the F.W.I.C. Tl ha, brought the Jubilee Guilds of Newfoi .al'til and Labrador in contact with the \\ en'x Institutes of the other provinces and ‘llU' from Newfoundland are welcomed at M tional Board meetings and Convention Miss Anna Templeton, who was to mn‘ years Organizing Secretary for the ‘llk‘. Guilds. travelled all over the province JCl‘ ing, organizing and encouraging. She now Director of Craft Training for the Dep 16W of Vocational Education for the New mil land Government. The Jubilee Guilds . nuv under the direction of the Provincial B it u? Directors. the president being Mrs. John Do. of St. John‘s and the Provincial Secri . 1‘ Mrs. A. W. Parsons, also of St. John‘s. * * * RS. MARY DURDLE was till: English woman who lived near \‘Ilv lage of Mapleton in Elgin Cot . Hi the early days. She was a widow wit ire: grown children and eked out a living ft [lit products of her garden and by helpin tut} women with their knitting and sewing. Si AN made the large straw hats used by th new and children for days in the hot sun. After the wheat was garnered in ‘m‘ Durdle would visit the barn to get smaz ‘Un' dles of the straw to use for the hats. Th6 311‘“ were chopped off to save the grain. ThL N“ was unjointed at the ï¬rst joint and 503‘ '1.“ the rain barrel until it was soft. The: Mill flying fingers Mrs. Durdle would brai». 3"†sew the straw into serviceable hats. HOME AND COD FTRY