North Waterloo Women's Institute - Wellesley Branch
​1903-2008

The Wellesley Women's Institute seems to have been formed after a successful Farmers' Institute meeting. The Wellesley Maple Leaf newspaper of January 22, 1903 reported the following meeting: ​

 FARMERS’ INSTITUTE 
The Largest Meeting Ever Held Held.—Good Lectures.—Fully Seven Hundred Present in the Evening.

"The Farmers’ Institute meeting held in the Opera House yesterday was a record breaker in point of interest and attendance. All the speakers announced were present and proved themselves able exponents, the lady, Miss Smith, especially being a novel and attractive feature. Her subject, scientific cooking, was closely listened to by the nearly 100 ladies who attended, and a local women's Institute was organized. 

The first meeting was held on February 26, 1903.The newspaper reported on the meeting: 
The Women’s Institute held their first regular meeting in the Union church on Monday Feb. 12th. Sixteen new names were added making the total membership of the Wellesley branch almost 50. Mrs. Henry Hostettler was elected president, with Miss Bellinger sec.- treas. The meeting was given up to the work of organization and arranging for future meetings."

Women's Institute Minutes
The early minutes of the institute have been lost, but we have the handwritten minute books from 1919-2008. Click here to access the minutes.