The Gleaners, Jean-François Millet 1857

Named after the oil painting by French artist, Jean-François Millet, The Gleaners depicts a trio of women gleaning the last bits of wheat from a field. Gleaning was the process of collecting leftover crops from agricultural fields after the harvest had been gathered in. It sympathetically presents the plight of the French working classes.

The Gleaners was formed in 1956 covering Wood Street Village and Fairlands. It was   started to raise money to help a widow with a young family; it continued until it was disbanded, 46 years later, in October 2002.

Membership totalled over 1,700 at its peak in the 1990s. Income came from a monthly tote or lottery, donations and income from the village shows.  The money was donated to local villagers in need. This was often in the form of grocery vouchers, flowers and eggs. OAP outings were regularly arranged to the south coast.  For example, in 1982, five coaches took OAPs, supporters and children to Brighton for the day.

Many people attended the monthly meetings. From the 1960s to 2002 several locals held the chair.  These included, Rev John Fowles in the 1960s followed by Rev A.C. Lockhart, Rev HG Merion-Jones, Marion Choate, Rev N. Nicolson, Rev A Browne, Rev C Richardson in the 1970s and 1980s.   Mrs Choate took over the chair again in the 1990s, along with Rev H Woodhead, and she continued until the Gleaners being disbanded in 2002.  Other prominent people associated with the Gleaners include Sandra Morgan – President, Mrs Cross, Briggs, Chuter, Hill, Kinsella, Scillitoe, Mr Grover, Ling, Austin, Boxall, Scillitoe, Tindle, amongst many other villagers.

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