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From our archive

Exploring

Our rich history

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A group of women sitting at a table on the table there is a laptop, iPad and a box of crafting materials

The SWI archive is a treasure trove of Scottish women’s history, holding over a century’s worth of stories from rural communities. It includes documents, photos, crafts, and more, offering a glimpse into women’s leadership, activism, and everyday lives. 

From early suffrage links to wartime contributions, food traditions and recorded lectures, the archive reveals the SWI’s impact on Scottish society. The collection features unique handcrafted items from the inspirational Needlework Development Scheme which ran from 1934 to 1941 across Scotland. 

Member volunteers are crucial to helping make sense of the many items we hold.

Made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players.

A woman showing off a fine china teapot

A special find

The SWI archive includes an important collection which was thought to be lost. The Needlework Development Scheme was a UK-wide programme from 1934 to 1961, sponsored by J & P Coats, to promote and raise the standard of British hand and machine embroidery design through educational institutions and industry. 

Managed from Glasgow, it developed loan collections of historical and modern textile examples to serve as teaching aids for Scottish and UK schools. The scheme ended when Coats withdrew funding in 1961, with its extensive collection being dispersed to universities and museums.

Our collection complements pieces held by the V&A London and The Glasgow School of Art.

Members through the years

A black and white photo from the 1920's, there a group of women standing out a shop that sells sowing machines.
1920s
A black and white photo from the 1940's, there a group of woman standing on a set of stairs
1940s
A black and white photo from the 1940's, there is a group of women from Douglas SWI, in front of them there is a cake on a table.
1940s
A black and white photo from the 1950's, there is a group of women standing by a milk dispenser, one lady is pouring water from a kettle.
1950s
A black and white photo from the 1960's, there is a group of women standing in front of an airplane.
1960s
A black and white photo from the 1970's, a group of women standing in front of a building
1970s
A black and white photo from 1980's of a group of women.
1980s
A photo from the 1990's of women sitting and standing
1990s

Do you recognise anyone in these pics? We’d love to hear from you!

Let us know

Royal connections

Members present
handmade gifts to HM
The Queen Mother and
the two princesses
SWRI founder Catherine Blair and HM The Queen Mother
HM The Queen and HM
The King at the Royal
Highland Show
HM The Queen and HM
The King at the Royal
Highland Show
HM Queen Elizabeth visits SWI HQ
in Edinburgh, 1964
Prince Phillip chats to members in the 1950s
Prince Phillip meets members
in the 1960s
HM The Queen Mother attends
the SWRI’s 75th anniversary celebrations in Edinburgh

Home & Country magazines

January, 1930
June, 1954
March 1962

SWRI cookbooks

First Edition, 1925
Third Edition, 1931
Sixth Edition, 1946