Winifred Dawe

General Information

First Name(s): Winifred

Married Surname: Dawe

Date of Birth: 1922

Place of Birth: Deane, Hampshire

Date joined WLA: 1940

Previous occupation: Cotton mill worker

Reasons for joining: On leaving school at 18, there was an expectation on the outbreak of war that you would join the war effort.

Winifred actually wishes she had joined the army, navy or air corps in retrospect as she said that way she would have received a pension.

Family’s reaction to joining: Pleased and proud.

Employment

Worked for private farmer. Captain Shirra Gibb was Scottish. He had served in the First World War and had a metal plate due to a war wound – he and his horse had been buried alive – Winifred’s story.

Mr Shirra Gibb had married a Whittle and Winifred’s mother was friendly with Mrs Whittle, who lived locally to Deane, Hampshire.

Worked in Hampshire from 1940-1943 and Scotland from 1943 to 1945.

Winifred travelled from Basingstoke, Hampshire to Scotland to work for Captain Shirra Gibb in Scotland as he wanted to retire there.

Winifred was to run the farm on arrival and travelled on a packed train standing all the way from Basingstoke to Hampshire in 1943, joined by a servant girl from Steventon Farm.

Winifred had had to drive her tractor on to a separate train to travel up and collect on arrival in Scotland.

She said her wages were £3.10 shillings, but that she didn’t want for much.

Contributor Information

Name: Suzie Brown

Relationship to Land Girl: Member of the local community where Winifred now lives.