大象传媒

"this story was submitted to the People's War site by Gill Mason of the County Heritage Team on behalf of Joan Carpenter and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Carpenter fully understands the site's terms and conditions".

Joan Carpenter was called up as a Land Girl at the start of the war. She was lucky enough to be allocated to New Hall, Boreham, a former hunting lodge in the time of Henry VIII. This was very close to her home and she was able to stay with her parents. The 4 acre garden was full of vegetables and had a fruit orchard from which, she says, the staff did not go short when it came to the season for fresh peaches. The produce was used to feed the elderly at the local hospital. She worked 8 hours a day, every day, and the garden had only one other gardener besides herself. During the War she kept in close touch with her relatives at Peckham who had their house flattened by a bomb one day when they were out. Joan now lives in Felixstowe and (maybe surprisingly!) she still loves gardening.

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