WI

THE president Christine Hemsley welcomed members to the meeting held at Harlech Memorial Hall on Wednesday evening, 13 January.Meirion was sung accompanied by Myfanwy Jones playing the piano. Best wishes were sent to all members who were unwell and birthday cards were given to members celebrating birthdays this month.Members were all very pleased to see their president back after her accident.The county letter was read and all relevant dates noted, especially Friday, 26 February, when the Te Cymreig will take place at the Dyffryn village hall. The schoolchildren from the local school will take part.The book celebrating the group’s 100 years, 100 Facts about Harlech, was selling very well, it was reported.A report was given about the station and members were all very upset about the vandalism that had taken place at the station over the Christmas period. Members have put in hours of work at the station over the past five years in all weather to try to keep the place tidy.Plans are being made to go on a few walks when the weather improves, and the annual dinner will take place in the spring. After all business was concluded the speaker for the evening, Graham Perch, was introduced.He gave a very interesting talk about his work in Belsize. He also had films about his work there.He was thanked on behalf of the members by Edwina Evans.The group’s next meeting will be held at Harlech Memorial Hall on 10 February, and will be a taster evening of recipes for Valentine’s Day.Visitors and new members will be very welcome. Historical societyTHE guest speaker at the society’s next meeting on Tuesday, 9 February, is Annie Williams, a tutor in lifelong learning at Bangor University, who will describe the lives of domestic servants in north Wales in the 19th and early 20th centuries.Research she has carried out on women domestic servants indicates that the life portrayed in television dramas like Downton Abbey is far removed from the experience of most Welsh women in service. Using original source material from estate records and poor law documents, she will demonstrate how hard they worked and how lonely they could be in single-servant households.Annie Williams has spent her professional career in adult education. Her area of specialism is women’s history in the 19th century and her book, A Detested Occupation? A History of Domestic Servants in North Wales 1800-1930, is soon to be published.The meeting will start at 7.30pm in Neuadd Goffa, the Memorial Hall, in Twtil just opposite the castle, and light refreshments will be served following the talk.