SURFDALE COUNTRY WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

The Surfdale Institute was established in 1942. However, the Museum holds only fragmentary records from its early years, and there is no record of when the banner was made OR who made it. Although the year 1944 is embroidered on it, it is unclear whether it refers to the date the banner was created.

In many ways, the Surfdale banner is the most interesting in the collection and the best example of the range of crafts that often went into producing an institute banner. It incorporates examples of both embroidery and fabric painting, though some of the latter, especially the name is rather amateurish. However, that is compensated for by the delightful depiction of a cow and sheep, with Surfdale Bay in the background, that comprises the bottom section of the banner. The clematis flowers embroidered in the centre of the banner are both delicate and delightful. The inclusion of an embroidered cotton reel, knitting needles and a ball of yarn, draws attention to the movement’s aim of promoting crafts that enhance rural life Despite seventy-plus years of fading of the red satin-silk used, the banner remains quite a spectacular sight.

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