大象传媒

In 1941 I was employed as a clerk in the order department of the Wool firm C.F.Taylor of Shipley. War had then been on 2 years and we had suffered many losses with regard to the young men, and women were then being called up to the forces. Being a home bird, I WANTED to stay at home and after making enquiries, found out that the land army was recruiting and if a girl could find a farm willing to take on these girls there was a good chance that they would agree to this, on the understanding that if there was an emergency, we had to be prepared to go. The local farmers were definitely not prepared, to accept girls but I heard that Shipley Council had decided this was the only-y way to keep the work going and 1 was accepted as a land girl in Northcliffe Playing Field (the park at the junction of Keighley Road and the Branch) I hadn鈥檛 then been supplied with a uniform and spent my first few days working in my cousin鈥檚 trousers, shirt and Mother鈥檚 shoes a trip to Leeds was necessary to be issued with the uniform - corduroy breeches, two shirts, green pullover, camel coat, brogues, and a hat/For this we had to forfeit all our clothing coupons. Work began alongside the foreman (a very helpful man) who gave us each a wheelbarrow and told to go and move compost from a bay and deposit elsewhere. (I never knew a wheelbarrow had a mind of its own, but on handling for the first time, it was on its way to Shipley before I got it under control)
During the first week, we were told to attend a meeting in the home of the then Head Master at the boys grammar school who told us of our rights,-it was obvious that we had very few and really very little support from anyone. We were given a registration number which turned out to be identical to the one my Mother was given whilst on munitions in 1914. Those of you who know Northcliffe will know it is a park consisting of Bowling Greens (2) tennis courts (which had seats round both sets of courts) a greenhouse and a pavilion which was used daily by the soldiers billeted locally. Our next task was to sweep each of these paths with seats around the tennis courts and the foreman went with us to show us where to go. This looked a simple task until we realised courting couples used these seats each evening which put us in an embarrassing position when we found what had been left - to put it as delicately as possible, there were small, rubber鈥� things" - did we pretend we hadn鈥檛 seen them? but decided rather than have them pointed out to us as having been missed - a quick sweep into the sack proved the best thing.
Came the time each day when the tennis courts had to be swept - for this we were given a large (4 ft.wide brush which was dragged backward and forward until all was swept, then one of us followed with a long,
brush and cleared all the lines around. This was not too difficult but then we were given the job of cutting the grass on the bowling greens, (not motorised one) one pushed with one at the f front with a pulling rope. Thinking we had done a good job we waited for praise from the boss, but when he looked, he suggested we had both been in the pub. We did eventually master the technique. Trouble started when they had to be wormed. Coloured sand (obviously of very hot substance) had to be spread over the greens then hose pipes sprayed on, the worms ate the sand then went for the water and they literally burst, thousands of them to be picked up by hand, (my colleague was very squeamish and attempted to pick them up one by one. ) You can imagine the bosses comments and he told us in no certain manner to get them moved Quickly!!
The flower beds contained a 10% stock of flowers, but filled in with anything else decorated - carrots, beetroot, etc.anything with colour.

We were taught how to prick out the seedlings for the following year, this was interesting and rewarding. Better still when it rained and we sat in the greenhouse scrubbing plant pots. The largest produce we kept was wheat and potatoes. These were alternated each year, the potatoes on the top football field above the pavilion, and the wheat in the field (15 acre) stretching to Moorhead Lane. this was done the hard way, not like today picking up sheathes and stocking them, these had to be turned every day to dry them off.(can鈥檛 imagine how they survive now all wrapped up in black bags.) It was here that obviously I had upset the boss, as he set me the task of weeding ALONE this 15 acre field one day (I didn鈥檛 make much impression but I expect he thought he had made me suffer. ) Then came the potatoes, these were simply spun out of the ground (clay substance) and picked up by hand, made into a pie which consisted of layers of potatoes, straw, and held down by tyres.
One day when the field had to be manured, the manure came by lorry and tipped at the edge of a field, necessitating someone standing in the middle and forking it down to those on ground level. We had one Junior who thought if he kept forking it from under my feet I would fall in, I made sure I didn鈥檛 but one time as he was forking up, I was forking down and he took the end off my finger. Straight to Salts Hospital but back to work next day. I suppose this day and age I would have been able to sue!!
At harvest time, the proceeds were taken to feed the soldiers who were billeted in the large houses on the main road, and to the Maternity Hospital. We got a lot of whistles, and one of my colleagues married a soldier from Wales which unfortunately did not work out,
Another area which produced was in the woods, adjacent to the entrance and where there used to be a band stand. We grew everything anywhere there was soil, roundabouts, hospital and clinic grounds, it makes you realise how desperate we were. Whilst working in the grounds at Shipley clinic, I was bitten badly by midges which fastened themselves in my woollen stockings. The nurse there who had never seen bites like that covered my legs in dettol soaked bandages, and they still bit me!
This time of my life was good inasmuch I stayed at home. Some girls who were billeted on farms had rough times.
I have a book called "The women鈥檚 Land Army which gives interesting snippets. Girls billeted in farms experienced differing condition. Few cottages boosted baths or hot water and billets varied from poor to atrocious. A few landladies took rations intended for the girls to add to their own meals. Some treated as servants. Reps were appointed to see to the welfare of the girls, bit it was not unknown for reps to gain a little food through the farmers. Lady Denman (Hon.director) fought hard for the welfare of the girls The land girls were denied many of the privileges of the armed forces when Winston Churchill was deaf to pleas on their behalf, Lady Denham resigned in protest The only concession was that girls could keep their overcoat, socks and shoes when released and& girls felt they were offered, gratitude but no gratuity. I developed arthritis early 1944 and attended BRI for several weeks, but eventually had to resign as treatment was not successful. Back to Leeds with what was left of uniform and collected few (very few) clothing coupons. The only thing I have to show for my services is my badge, and a prayer book issued through my Church.

Just as a matter of interest,L.A. was formed in 1914, 50% of food needed for 36 million people was imported and in 1915 the enemy had succeeded in blocking ports
Number of Land Army girls swelled from 7,445 in Nov.1940 to 7,661 in Aug.1943 when recruiting ceased for a time, and although it wasn鈥檛 necessary to increase total numbers, recruiting was resumed to replace those lost to the service.
I am aware that, working in a park was good, with good condition and at home at night, but not all girls were used for ploughing, milking, etc. various jobs, such as rat catching as it was estimated that every rat on the farm cost 6s. a year, and findings show that animal feed eaten or spoiled by rats was estimated to cost 拢25,000,000 a year. One girl even became a water diviner.
At one time, the situation was so grave that age was disregarded and even girls with flat feet and varicose veins were accepted without examination.
I feel a little proud that I did my bit, and combined with the fact that my husband was a Bevin boy and worked down the mines, feel that we fed and kept warm just a little of the community.

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