The Branches

Central Office was the hub of the Society but, Mrs Townsend declared, 'the real work of the Society is done by its Branches.' The Annual Report for 1900 lists the variety of activities local Branches offered:

'...Bible and Church History Classes...sewing, knitting, embroidery, basket-making, wood-carving, bookbinding, singing, French ambulance, nursing, musical drill and gymnastics...in one Branch a weekly meeting for lectures or talks on topics of the day (chosen by the girls), such as South Africa, the Siege of Pekin (sic), Parliament and the Cabinet; papers also written on such subjects as "How an unmarried girl should spend a weekly wage of one pound." Social evenings are very popular, games of all kinds, recitations, also getting up entertainments.'

Opposite: 5GFS/12/1/11 A needlework sampler entered for a GFS competition by 12-year-old Emily Kenniff in 1889. It is clear that Emily was learning mostly plain practical techniques, such as gathering and buttonholes, to be used for dressmaking, rather than decorative embroidery.