Planting a Lime Tree

Oh woe is us. The caption we have for this photo is ‘Gardening Club plant a lime tree at Broadwell’.  People aren’t named and there is no date given. But of course, the photo has clues.

Gardening club plant a lime tree at Broadwell

The photo almost shrieks ‘70s’ at us. First of all it is a colour print and they weren’t common prior to the 70s. The two pushchairs in shot are both McLaren Buggies of that era – from a time when push chairs were lightweight and portable.

Easily recognised is Peggy Gye.

The unmistakable Peggy Gye

She certainly looks the right sort of age – about 50 – for this to be the 1970s. We have ideas for the names of others, but nothing is certain so we won’t make suggestions.

Instead we ask for help. Can you name any people here?

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An Oddfellow

James Gye was an Oddfellow. The Oddfellows are, and have been since 1810, a friendly society – perhaps somewhat akin to a health insurance club as well as being a social group who could gather and meet and have a good time. We are looking back over 100 years for we have James’s membership card for 1899.

James Gye’s 1899 membership card for The Oddfellows. James was a carpenter on White Street, Market Lavington

Manchester had been the birthplace of the Oddfellows so we assume that is why the card is for the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows. James was a member of the Devizes branch. We know that quite a lot of local men were members.

James died in 1900 so this would have been his last year of membership. The payments page does seem incomplete.

Maybe James or his widow were able to benefit from his membership – but it would seem strict adherence to the rules was needed.

The Oddfellows continue as a friendly society and still give aid for some medical needs – perhaps those not covered by our National Health Service.

A Quilt Award

Back in 1971 the Market Lavington Darby and Joan club won an award for quilt making.

The names ‘Darby and Joan’ were adopted to represent people of the older generation. The names were picked by a poet back in 1735. Henry Sampson referred to ‘Old Darby with Joan by his side’ in his poem, ‘The Joys of Love never forgot. A Song’.

After World War II, the Women’s Voluntary Service was instrumental in organising friendly meetings for older people. It chose the name ‘Darby and Joan Club’ for such gatherings. One such club was set up in Market Lavington.

By 1971, the WVS had become royal and was the WRVS. To help foster community spirit, they organised various competitions, keenly taken up by members of the local ‘Darby and Joan’. The competitions may well have been national in scope but they also had regional or county prizes. And so it was that in 1971, Market Lavington Darby and Joan won the best entry in Wiltshire in a National Handicraft Competition for a quilt. An ornate framed certificate was awarded to the club.

Certificate awarded to Market Lavington Darby and Joan Club in a handicraft competition

And here’s a close up of the specific wording.

The wording on the award

Unfortunately, our records do not tell us who actually made the quilt. Maybe there is somebody in blogland who can tell us.

Incidentally, the club still exists but is now known as The Monday Club.