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History of Ash and Ridley from Earliest Records to 1957
                    
Compiled by Dorothy G. Meager on behalf of Ash and Ridley Women's Institute           Page 93

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Mothers Union
For many years Miss Lambard, sister of the Rev C.J. Lambard, held a Mothers’ meeting at the Old Rectory, Ash. Owing to ill health she had to discontinue these meetings and on May 6th 1909 the last meeting was held.
On May 10th 1911 the Mothers’ Union was established and continued for some years, but had discontinued long before the outbreak of World War II.
   In 1942 Mrs Vigo, wife of the new Rector, re-started the movement and eventually the Mothers’ Union banner appeared in our Church. The meetings are held monthly and there is quite a good membership.

Girls Friendly Society
In the year 1948, Mrs Vigo started a Girls Friendly Society in Ash. She was helped by Mrs McCarthy of the "Old Rectory" and Mrs Muller of "School House". The girls were trained in drama by Mrs McCarthy and several very good shows were put on in the Parish Hall. The proceeds of these shows were the main source of the Society’s funds.
   Mrs Muller taught the mothers various handicrafts, and they were taught ballroom dancing by Mrs Vigo and country dancing by Mrs Farage.
   Visits were paid to Girls Friendly Societies in neighbouring villages and of course our members returned the compliments.

   The Society started with a fairly strong membership, but gradually girls left the Village for business purposes, or were married and moved away and there were few eligible to take their places. After about four years the membership was so small that it was decided to discontinue the meetings.

Guides and Brownies
  
The first Ash Company of Girl Guides was formed in 1942 with Mrs Gladys Simmons as Captain. The meetings were held in a hut on Mr W. Simmons property, Billett Hill. The girls showed great enthusiasm in cleaning and decorating the hut and spent many happy hours there until the Company was disbanded in October 1945. The register and records are in the possession of Mrs Simmons. There was a membership of 25.
   Several years earlier there was a Company of girl Guides which combined Ash members with Fawkham, but records are not available.
   A small Company of Brownies has been running for a few years now under the leadership of Miss Joan Barnes as Brown Owl.

Scouts and Cubs
   The only record available of the formation of a Company of Boy Scouts is during the First World War. This Company was run by Mr Debenham Jnr.

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