Collection AR56 - Womens International League Records

The Womens International League (in full, the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom) was founded in the Hague in 1915. The Croydon and District Branch was established in about November 1917. The League was based on the principles of 'right rather than might', and of co-operation rather than conflict in national and international affairs. Its convictions were broadly internationalist, pacifist (in favour of disarmament) and humanitarian: the specific details of its policies and interests varied from time to time.

The Branch organised lectures (ranging from travelogues to overtly political meetings), and fundraising events; and it was periodically involved in political lobbying. The Annual General Meeting was normally held in March, April or May. The Branch was wound up as a formal body in June 1976, although there was a proposal that it should continue as an informal discussion group.

The principal officers were:

Presidents: Miss Theodora E Clark (1920-1927)

Mrs Hugh Crosfield (1927-1933)

Mrs Benham (1933-1937)

Miss M Glazier (1937-1949)

Mrs Alan Philpott JP (1950-1951)

Mrs BW Thomas JP (1951-1956)

Mrs Ritchie Calder (1956-1962)

Mrs (Dr) Cynthia Harris JP (1962-1965)

Mrs CE Checker (1965-1968)

Miss Dorothy L Bing (1969-1976)

Chairmen: Mrs Barbara Duncan Harris (1919-1920)

Mrs Lucy Backhouse (1920-1921)

Miss Lucy F Morland (1921-1922)

Mrs de Jastrzebski (1922-1924)

Mrs I MacGregor Ross (1924-1925)

Miss Lucy F Morland (1925-1926)

Mrs BW Thomas (1926-1927)

Mrs Barbara Duncan Harris (1927-1931)

Miss Edith L Hayler (1931-1935)

Mrs Mary Grindley (1935-1937)

Miss Edith L Hayler (1937-[1938])

Mrs Olive E Berwick Sayers (1947-1948)

Mrs MH Kinnish (1948-1949)

Mrs Phyllis G Mitchiner (1949-1951) [resigned over the issue of rearmament]

Mrs MH Kinnish (1951-2)

Mrs Elsie Wise (1952-3)

Mrs Olive E Berwick Sayers (1953-7)

Mrs MH Kinnish (1957-1967)

Mrs SE Humphreys (1967-1976)