Joan Irene Rackley (née Enfield)

General Information

First Name(s): Joan Irene

Unmarried Surname: Enfield

Married Surname: Rackley

Date of Birth: 22.11.1920

Employment

Joan was based at Suttons Seeds in Reading and she was responsible for the movement and care of the two working horses, Laddie and Jolly (one of them features in a photograph). I got the impression they were kept at the university farm near Charvil, certainly somewhere which involved walking them along the Bath Road.

The photos show her working in the fields with her group of ‘land girls’ and it is interesting that in 2 photos you can see the Suttons sign and buildings. The main focus was vegetable seed production and they were allowed to have surplus produce. She used to say that the tomatoes were delicious!

Mum lived at Mapledurham as her father was the butler at Mapledurham House and would have cycled to and from home. She was used to an outdoor life on the estate and was very experienced in matters of horticulture.