• Article |
• Discussion |
• View source |
• History

The Women’s Land Army was set up in June 1939 as the prospect of war loomed and the Government sought to increase the amount of food grown in Britain.

A party of Land Girls wait at Derby Railway Station before leaving for a hostel at Trusley Manor on Arpil 28, 1943

By 1943, when numbers reached a peak, more than 80,000 women classed themselves as Land Girls, doing the back-breaking work of feeding the nation.

Women joined the Land Army from all backgrounds, with a third coming from London and other large cities. Farm work was hard, and they did all sorts of jobs including hoeing, ploughing, hedging, turning hay, lifting potatoes, threshing, lambing and looking after poultry.

A thousand women were employed as rat catchers. Six thousand women worked in the Timber Corps, felling trees and running sawmills. About a quarter were employed in milking and general farm work.

The work was hard and dirty and the pay was bad but this essential army helped to keep the county going during its time of greatest need. As in the picture, the Land Girls wore a uniform of beige breeches, dark green pullover, wide-brimmed felt hat and thick overcoat, though many were forced to alter the ill-fitting government-issue garments.

At harvest time, the women worked during all the daylight hours, from 7.30am to 9.30pm. Farmers at first doubted whether they could do the job, but many proved how useful they could be – even beating local men in horse-ploughing competitions.

FEEDBACK

Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not comment on it? Perhaps you disagree with something in it, or you know something the writer doesn't and can add some extra facts. You may want to ask a question about this article. Making a contribution is easy - either click 'edit' to insert more information or 'discussion' and then 'add comment.' This is your site. Please feel free to use it to the full and share your memories, thoughts and knowledge about Derbyshire with others.

If there is no 'edit' link showing it means the article has either previously been published in the Derby Evening Telegraph, or it has been protected by the site administrator and cannot be edited.'

County:  Derbyshire

Return to You_and_Yesterday