The Hamilton Women's Institute was founded at a meeting on 20 July 1936 at the community hall in Hamilton, Prince Edward Island. The executive elected at that first meeting included Mrs. Frederick Lockerby (Honourary President), Mrs. James M. Ramsay (President), Mrs. Winfred Ramsay (Vice-President), and Miss Marjorie Crozier (Secretary-Treasurer). In the early years, the Institute held its monthly meetings at the Hamilton Hall, however meetings also came to be held at the homes of various members. Meetings typically included reports from the committees, discussions and presentations on topics of interest (such as national events, home economics, education, and public health issues), and a lunch provided by the members.

The Hamilton Hall and the Hamilton School were always of great interest to the members of the Hamilton Women's Institute. They supported and initiated many imporvements to these two buildings over the years, including providing an organ and later a piano for the Hall. The Institute also provided money and supplies to the school, paid to have a music teacher visit the school once a week to teach the students, and helped provide hot lunches to students. After the Hamilton School closed, the women of the Institute continued to provide assistance to the Kensington schools.

The Hamilton Women's Institute supported a number of charitable organizations over the years, including the Red Cross, Cancer Society, and Tuberculosis causes. They also provided needed assistance in the form of money, handmade quilts, blankets, and toys to the Prince County Hospital and the province's two orphanages. During World War II, the Hamilton Women's Institute regularly sent packages of food, letters, and knitted goods to the boys overseas, and assisted with other Red Cross wartime projects. In more recent years, the Institute continued to support a wide range of charities, including the Salvation Army, United Way, Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Hospital Equipment Fund.

On 2 November 2002 the last meeting of the Hamilton Women's Institute was held at the home of the last surviving founding member, Marjorie Ramsay.