ABSTRACT
GOSFORTH is known for miles around as a parish ‘where there is always something on’, and certainly in comparison with its neighbours it has a very large number of village organizations. There are in all thirty-one of these, varying greatly in size and importance and exhibiting several types of internal structure and membership. Some, such as the Women's Institute, are confined to one sex; others such as the Mothers' Union and the British Legion, have special qualifications for membership in addition to that of sex, while several are open to all who wish to join. Similarly, their internal structure may vary from the elaborate system of officials and committees found in the Agricultural Society to the almost informal character of the Men's Football Club. (For a list of organizations see Appendix VII.)
