The Land Girl Covers: September

 The Land Girl Illustrations  No Responses »
Sep 012018
 

The magazine editors used the drawings sent in by some individual Land Girls for several issues, which means that we only have one new illustration for the August edition of The Land Girl. The drawing below was first printed on the front cover of the August 1944 edition of the magazine. By September, this was the third month that Patricia O’Toole’s (51097) drawing graced the front pages of The Land Girl.

The Land Girl September 1944 front cover

O’Toole, from Lancashire, has drawn a good representation of the badge of the Women’s Land Army, which acts as a focal point of the drawing in the top right hand corner. Instead of capturing a task (like in earlier editions), O’Toole captures a smiling Land Girl looking away from the landscape. Her hair blowing in the wind, she looks satisfied, likely after a hard day’s work. There appears an element of pride in her expression and her posture appears upright and confident – she is the Land Girl of this issue. Does her signature next to the figure suggest this might be a self-portrait? Was the pride and admiration a reflection of her own feelings of working on the land?

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 2: Uniform & Parade

 Letters (WW2), Official Documents (WW2), WW2 Land Girls  No Responses »
Oct 052017
 
Dorothy Clayden

Dorothy Clayden

This series of posts charts Dorothy Clayden’s time in the Women’s Land Army form 1942 to 1946. This second focuses on Dorothy’s attendance at a WLA parade in Preston and shows the process of how the WLA allocated items of uniform.

 

 

 

 

WLA Rally Invitation, 30th May 1942

 

WLA parade in Preston, May 1942?

WLA parade in Preston, 30th May 1942?

 

Presumably by the time Dorothy attended the parade, she would have been issued with a WLA badge, as this undated letter states.

Presumably by the time Dorothy attended the parade, she would have been issued with a WLA badge, as this undated letter states.

In the Archives: Click here to see the different types of WLA badges.

Letter sent on 1st June 1942 regarding the rationing of clothing in return for Dorothy's WLA uniform.

Letter sent on 1st June 1942 regarding the rationing of clothing in return for Dorothy's WLA uniform.

Letter sent on 1st June 1942 regarding the rationing of clothing in return for Dorothy’s WLA uniform.

See more here:

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 1: Enrolment

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 3: First billet in Shropshire

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 4: ‘Lady-Killer of Vermin’

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 5: VE Day and Disbandment

 

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 1: Enrolment

 Letters (WW2), Official Documents (WW2), WW2 Land Girls  No Responses »
Oct 032017
 
Dorothy Clayden

Dorothy Clayden

This series of posts charts Dorothy Clayden’s time in the Women’s Land Army form 1942 to 1946. We will be looking at a range of primary sources including correspondence and photos to trace Dorothy’s journey.

Dorothy was born in 1921, so she was twenty years old when she enrolled in the WLA in February 1942. She originally worked as a hairdresser in Morecambe in Lancashire. Dorothy’s daughter, Judi notes how her mother joined the WLA as she wanted to make a contribution to the war effort.

This first post looks at Dorothy’s interview and the procedures to allocate her to work at the Morecambe Parks Department, co-ordinated by the Lancashire County Committee.

Dorothy Clayden Invitation to WLA letter, 3rd January 1942

Dorothy Clayden’s invitation letter to join the WLA in January 1942

Invitation to Dorothy Clayden to work with Morecombe Parks Department, 2nd February 1944.

Invitation to Dorothy Clayden from Edith Whinnenah (Lancashire County Committee) to work with Morecambe Parks Department, 2nd February 1942.

 

Letter confirming Dorothy Clayden's upcoming work at Morecombe Parks, 7th February 1942

Letter confirming Dorothy Clayden’s upcoming work at Morecambe Parks, 7th February 1942

 

Letter from Morecombe Parks inviting Dorothy Clayden to begin work.

Letter from Morecombe Parks Superintendent inviting Dorothy Clayden to begin work, 10th February 1942.

 

Letter from WLA confirming Dorothy Clayden's work at Morecambe park, 17th February 1942.

Letter from the Lancashire Committee Organising Secretary,  confirming Dorothy Clayden’s work at Morecambe park, 17th February 1942.

See more here:

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 2: Uniform & Parade

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 3: First billet in Shropshire

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 4: ‘Lady-Killer of Vermin’

Dorothy’s WLA Journey 5: VE Day and Disbandment

 

Rare WW1 Memorial with land girls

 Latest News, WW1 Photos  No Responses »
Apr 042015
 

There are few Great War memorials which depict the land girls of the first Women’s Land Army, 1917-19 but here is one, by the distinguished sculptor, Joseph Hermon Cawthra. The image of these young women in their distinctive working uniform, one with a pitchfork and another carrying a lamb, is just one detail from Bury War Memorial, in Lancashire, a large bronze bas relief depicting those who had done their bit for the war effort during the First World War.

Prior to its installation, a model of it was exhibited by the Royal Academy in London. The Bury War Memorial, unveiled in November 1924, comprises a tall stone cross on an octagonal base flanked by a curved wall bearing several bas-reliefs of a very high standard by Cawthra.