THE UNKNOWN SISTERS

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 254, 3 November 1939, Page 4

THE UNKNOWN SISTERS

Committee and on the committee of the District 'Nursing Association.. For some years the district nurse Jived in a suite of rooms in the Cl.iajuberl.ai.iis’ house. Patriotism Wins When the Government- announced that an airdrome was to be built near Odiham they were upset ami; there was talk of their leaving the district. Hut the airdrome has arrived and the ■Chamberlains are still there—working for the proper housing of the ’drome workers. One or two people who Holt- the same way about the threatened airdrome hoped that the Chamberlain sisters would “use their influence” with brother Neville to have it diverted. That is not in the character of the Misses Chamberlain. They seldom see Neville nowadays, but they telephone him,. especially to encourage him during crises. He has not been to stay with them since lie lias been Prime Minister, hut In l used to go when lie was Chancellor of the Exchequer. . • It is said! that one of his Budgets was composed in the peace of their hack garden. Usually a Cabinet Minister has a bodyguard of policemen when he goes away. The police of Odiham were asked not to take any notice of Mr. Chamberlain's visit. He wanted the complete sanctuary of his sisters’ house.

BRITISH 4 PRIME MINISTER PEACE FOR CHAMBER LAIN QUIET VULLAGE HOME Two thimble-shaped vow trees guard ■ponderously the door of the Misses Chamberlain's bouse at Odiham, Hampshire writes Constance Waller in the London Sunday 'Express. Tall trees throw dark shadows on tho front windows, and the almost ecclesiastically quipt- garden, at the back is shielded bv high walls. These sisters v of the Prime -Minister rigorously thcinselves away from they fierce Might that has burned on the Chainberfaiiib family for (50 years.

“There is enough limelight on other members of our family,” Miss Ida Chamberlain said with a chuckle. “Wo want to keep right out of it.” Yet the family tradition, of service is so .strong in them that they, aro among the leaders of Odiham’s and Hampshire’s public life. . When they, went to Odiham during the war the village—once a market town with historic royal associations —was truly rural. Work for Woman The Misses Chamberlain set to work and organised branches of the Women’s institute in Odiham and neighbouring Hartley Wintney. -Miss Ida became president of one and M iss Hilda of the other. They built them up into- a flourishing liveliness. Miss Hilda saw tTiat the members were 'taught not to ape townswomen, but to become more efficient countrywomen. •She taught them how to make full, vise of their farms and kitchen gardens in cookinli, how to use local materials for handicrafts, such as rushes for making baskets.

Then' the Misses Chamberlain rcjdreel from office, but remained active mouthers'! for a typical reason. They that- -..the institues '-siuii.dd (Tarried on by influential “ladies,” but by the ordinary members themselves. i #sss§[ °V years ago Miss Hilda evolved a scheme for the. organisation of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes. The Chamberlain Will lhd ; executive committee turned it down—but they co-opted Miss KjJdm. gwitStcT the committee. . r i!%e next year they adopted the/ c scheme. / .“Jihat Vvas typical,” a local member - -of .jtlie'. institute saitl: “Once the -Miss- ’* . - Cjihmberlain .make up their minds jin afiything it lVdone. .* y have tremendously strong J* v -y f & wills and wonderful heads for figures and facts. Wo all admire their “budgeteering, .as we call it. Both Miss Ida pecia ly are.-iifteri-i’riy interested in hoTsd’y (Miss Ida 1.-as been a member ot tho Hartley Wintney Rural Council for •4i4— yearsv ---- c: he-is-'on ’the" k.-mtv-TTiTYff" general pnrpv>:cs,.. the. housing -au i town planning, and the Odiham drainage committees; She is an alderman of die Hampshire County Council, and a member of the education, finance, public- assistance and public health and housing committee. She is on the Odiham sub-committee for old age pensions. : **ste i cc2SiK wJ&rive. Houses Away Her views are strong. She believes in progress and the rights of the human being to a full life. She disapproves of the tliev-pnJy-put-eo:fls-iri-the-bath attitude to housing improvement. Shortly alter the. war the sisters built a row of workers’ bouses and nntde. a gift, of -tliein to the rural. dis-trict-..council on. condition that tho council never, charged more than 5s a week rent-. . They, bought a field, had it made into a recreation ground and presented it to the village. Their generosity is never haphazard and indiscriminating." Their work for children, again, is practical not sentimental. They do not give Christinas parties.. where, tlyey-j----could play,’’the Indio's Bountiful. of their brains and their time to education committees and local school .management. Miss Hilda works hard at the- infant welfare yffltg-.0-and—was once one of a' deputation to Whitehall to ask tho Minister of Health lor more milk for babies. She is on the Odiham Hospital