Members were entertained and informed when speaker Toni Mount attended the July meeting.

Using slides taken from various medieval manuscripts, members were told of the many duties of a housewife of those times.

The weekly chores included producing sweetmeats from sugar, nuts and fruits, supervising the laundering of precious table and bed linens, drying sweet herbs and brewing ale.

Each busy day ended with the wifely duty of washing her husband's feet and supplying him with clean socks. So not much change there!

Sylvia Linton, the Cray district secretary, reported to members on the TGM held at Brighton.

Mrs Linton was the link delegate and voted on in accordance with member's wishes on the following resolutions:

Support for local abattoirs: "This meeting urges HM Government to support existing small abattoirs and to promote the re-establishment of local abattoirs, in order to minimise stress to animals, reduce the risk and spread of disease and encourage the availability of locally produced meat."

This resolution was carried.

Resolution number two was for stricter controls on the importation of foodstuffs: "In the interests of the health of both the people and animals of this country, this meeting urges NFWI to put pressure on the Government to implement stricter controls of importation of foodstuffs into this country."

This resolution was also carried.

The next meeting of Bexleyheath and Crayford Women's Institute will take place on September 23, at 7.45pm, in the Bexleyheath and District Scout Centre, Mayplace Road West, Bexleyheath. Visitors are welcome, call 020 8304 9055.

August 30, 2002 12:00