Martina Hyde

Although Martina Hyde was an excellent archer, she was better known for her involvement with the Women’s Institute (WI), and had been honorary treasurer since the formation of the Worcestershire Federation. She also served as a vice-president, and served on the committee of the Worcester centre for many years until ill-health forced her to step down.

Before her involvement with the WI, Hyde was involved with the Worcester Festival Choral Society and was a co-founder of the Worcestershire Philharmonic Society in 1898. She was joint honorary secretary at the time Sir Edward Elgar regularly conducted the Society, in which Hyde played violin.

As an archer, Hyde won the Worcestershire County Championship on several occasions, and in 1919 reached the pinnacle of her career by winning the national title as Championess of England at Malvern College. When she died in 1937, her funeral service was conducted in Worcester Cathedral.