Jerusalem

This anthem, with its association with the fight for women's suffrage, was appropriate for the newly emerging WI movement which was encouraging women to take their part in public life, and to fight to improve the conditions of rural life.

A special arrangement for choir and string orchestra was performed at the Annual General Meeting of NFWI held in the Queen's Hall, London in 1924. 

This was so successful that it has been sung at the opening of NFWI AGMs to this day.

Words by William Blake (1808) and music by Sir Hubert Parry (1916)

Do you know the words? If not, here they are! You can sing along to the video clip below.

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountain green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

Get out your Union Flag, click the link below, and sing
along to Jerusalem at the Last Night of the Proms


Five WI members, Doreen Connor, Gemma Waznicki, Jan Mason, Jennie Mantell and
Naomi Willmott recorded a version of the hymn for their album, Voices of The WI, released in 2010.