Guide to Women’s Institute Records at the Simcoe County Archives

Introduction

The Women’s Institute (WI) formed in Ontario in 1897 as a women-focused offshoot of the Farmers’ Institutes. WI branches have been active in Simcoe County since the early 1900s, with over 130 individual branches established. They have served as non-denominational social clubs where women could gather to learn, organize, and give back to their communities. While many of the branches have since disbanded or amalgamated, records for many of the individual branches survive and have been deposited at the Simcoe County Archives.

A major project undertaken by WI branches has been the creation of community history books, known as Tweedsmuir Community History Books (or Tweedsmuir Histories). These histories provide an incredible amount of information for researchers by illustrating the history of Simcoe County throughout the twentieth century.

Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario (FWIO)

The establishment of the Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario is credited to Adelaide Hunter Hoodless and Erland and Janet Lee. Together, the three endeavored to establish a “Women’s Department of Home Economy in affiliation with the Farmers’ Institute”. The organization would eventually come to be named the Women’s Institute and its official constitution was adopted in Stoney Creek, Ontario on February 25, 1897.

Within the first ten years of the WI’s existence in Ontario, it was reported that 400 local branches had been founded across the province. Under the umbrella of the FWIO, local Women’s Institutes were organized by Areas, Districts, and Branches.

Explore the SCA’s resources:

The Simcoe County Archives launched an interactive map pinpointing the locations of WI branches in Simcoe County, both past and present.

This map was the culmination of years of research pertaining to the different WI branches of the County. As meetings often occurred in the homes of different members, some branch locations are approximate and based on the best available information.

Using the Map

Select a branch by zooming into the map of Simcoe County on the right-hand side of the webpage. Or, select a branch by scrolling through the full list on the left-hand side.

Once you select a branch, information about its activities will appear on the left. If an image is available, select the photo to zoom in. You can continue to scroll through the list of branches or select the “X” icon to reset your view.

View the interactive map

A layer on the County’s GIS website was created as part of the interactive mapping project. The Women’s Institute branches layer showcases the locations of WI branches in Simcoe County and can be combined with the full suite of tools and layers available on the County’s GIS website.

Activating the Women’s Institute Branch Layer

On the left-hand side of the website, you will see the advanced options. Click on the “Layers” tab and type “Womens Institute Branches” in the filter search bar. Select the checkbox for the layer.

Or, in the “Layers” tab under the “All Layers” drop down menu, click on the “Historical” category. Select the checkbox for the “Womens Institute Branches” layer.

Once the layer has been selected, you can click on a branch to view more information. Try combining the Women’s Institute branches layer with the “Lot and Concession” layer or the “Historical Geographic Township Boundary” layer.

Simcoe County gis site

This list includes a selection of private fonds and collections related to the WI in Simcoe County that are held at the Archives. Some of these fonds and collections may be unprocessed, and complete finding aids may be unavailable.

Search our collections.

To conduct in-person research, visit our Booking Archives Services page to schedule a reading room appointment.

Area and Districts

Simcoe Area Women’s Institute fonds
Centre Simcoe District Women’s Institute fonds
East Simcoe District Women’s Institute fonds
North Simcoe District Women’s Institute fonds
Simcoe Centre-West District Women’s Institute fonds
Simcoe-Kempenfeldt District Women’s Institute fonds
South Simcoe District Women’s Institute fonds
West Simcoe District Women’s Institute fonds

Branches

Allenwood Women’s Institute fonds
Alliston Women’s Institute fonds
Argyle Women’s Institute fonds
Atherly Women’s Institute fonds
Avening Women’s Institute fonds
Barrie Women’s Institute fonds
Beeton Women’s Institute fonds
Bond Head Junior Women’s Institute fonds
Bond Head Women’s Institute fonds
Bradford Women’s Institute fonds
Cain’s Corners Women’s Institute fonds
Centre Flos Women’s Institute fonds
Centre Vespra Women’s Institute fonds
Chilli Willi Junior Women’s Institute fonds
Churchill Women’s Institute fonds
Clearview Women’s Institute fonds
Cloverlea Women’s Institute fonds
Clowes Women’s Institute fonds
Coldwater Huronia Women’s Institute fonds
Coldwater Junior Women’s Institute fonds
Cookstown Women’s Institute fonds
Coulson Women’s Institute fonds
Coulson’s Hill Junior Women’s Institute fonds
Coulson’s Hill Women’s Institute fonds
Craighurst Women’s Institute fonds
Creemore Women’s Institute fonds
Crossland Women’s Institute fonds
Crown Hill Women’s Institute fonds
Cundles Women’s Institute fonds
Dalston Women’s Institute fonds
Duntroon Women’s Institute fonds
Edenvale Women’s Institute fonds
Edgar Women’s Institute fonds
Elmvale Women’s Institute fonds
Everett Women’s Institute fonds
Fisher’s Corners Women’s Institute fonds
Georgian Women’s Institute fonds
Gilford Women’s Institute fonds
Grenard Women’s Institute fonds
Guthrie Women’s Institute fonds
Hampshire Mills Women’s Institute fonds
Hampshire-Ardtrea Women’s Insitute fonds
Harvie Settlement Women’s Institute fonds
Hillsdale Women’s Institute fonds
Hollows Women’s Institute fonds
Holly Women’s Institute fonds
Honeywood Women’s Institute fonds
Ivy Women’s Institute fonds
Jack’s Lake Women’s Institute fonds
Jarratt-Creighton Women’s Institute fonds
Lake St. George Women’s Institute fonds
Lefroy Women’s Institute fonds
Little’s Hill Women’s Institute fonds
Melduf Women’s Institute fonds
Minesing Women’s Institute fonds
Mitchell Square Women’s Institute fonds
Mrs. Alfred Watt Memorial Women’s Institute fonds
New Flos Women’s Institute fonds
New Lowell Women’s Institute fonds
Northbrook Women’s Institute fonds
Orillia Women’s Institute fonds
Oro Station Women’s Institute fonds
Painswick Women’s Institute fonds
Pine Grove Women’s Institute fonds
Pine Ridge Women’s Institute fonds
Pine Tree Women’s Institute fonds
Ramara Women’s Institute fonds
Rugby Women’s Institute fonds
Saurin Women’s Institute fonds
Silver Maple Women’s Institute fonds
Singhampton Women’s Institute fonds
Shanty Bay Women’s Institute fonds
Sparrow Lake Women’s Institute fonds
Stayner Women’s Institute fonds
Stroud Women’s Institute fonds
Sunnidale Corners Women’s Institute fonds
Sunniwood Women’s Institute fonds
Tec-We-Gwill Women’s Institute fonds
Thornton Women’s Institute fonds
Thornton Junior Women’s Institute fonds
Tottenham Women’s Institute fonds
Trillium Women’s Institute fonds
Van Vlack Women’s Institute fonds
Vasey Women’s Institute fonds
Victoria Crescent Women’s Institute fonds
Warminster Women’s Institute fonds
Washago Women’s Institute fonds
Waubaushene Women’s Institute fonds
West Shore Women’s Institute fonds
Westmount Women’s Institute fonds
Wyebridge Women’s Institute fonds
Zion Jubilee Women’s Institute fonds

Other

Gibbons Family fonds
Muriel Jacobs collection
SCA Reference Library and Special Collections: Accession 2018-063 For Home and Country: The Centennial History of the Women’s Institutes in Ontario by Linda M. Ambrose
The Corporation of the Township of Oro-Medonte Heritage Committee sous-fonds: Video of Stone Fence unveiling
Simcoe County Clerk’s Office fonds: Women’s Institute presentations to Simcoe County Council

View a list of Tweedsmuir Histories available at the Simcoe County Archives.