Looking Back 50 Years At Helmdon

ONLY ONE Helmdon woman, Mrs. Nellie Gibbons, has been a regular member of the Helmdon Women’s Meeting since its formation in 1929.

And it was she who had the honour of cutting a special 50th anniversary cake at Tuesday’s gathering In the village Baptist Church.

A devotional organisation, the group was founded by Mrs. Albert Gulliver and Mrs. Frank Watson at a time when tea and cakes cost a penny and speakers came by rail from Banbury and Towcester

TREASURER

Mrs. Gibbons was treasurer at the time when the first minutes were taken in 1941, and held the position until her retirement In 1976.

According to those minutes membership would have appeared to remain stable between 30 and 40 over the years, and one or two former members were invited along on Tuesday by president Mrs. Marjorie Watson and officers of the group.

Miss Evelyn Gulliver, whose mother was a founder, came from Middleton Cheney to talk about the foundation, and the main speaker was former baptist teacher Marjorie Griffin from Reading.

Unknown source – circa 1979