Z1205/042

Female, former land girl with Women's Land Army.b.24-07-1922 SIDE A (00 mins)Upbringing in Bedford. Grandmother had billeted soldiers during First World War. Mother worked in laundry. Passed exam and went to Harpur Central School aged 11. (05 mins)Grandfather worked at Allens engineering works, Bedford. Left school and gained job doing needlework at Gladys Clayton's workroom, Bedford, making made-to-measure clothing. Father originally worked a fish round to villages around Bedford. He later worked for Macfisheries. (10 mins)Mother worked as crane driver at Allens during Second World War. Childhood play in traffic-free streets. Aged 17, went into Women's Land Army (WLA) for 3 years. Worked in Kempston and cycled from home. (15 mins)Training in milking at Luton Hoo. Left when 3 months pregnant. (20 mins)5 men and 6 land girls at farm. The other girls stayed at WLA hostels. Husband-to-be boarded at her home. (25 mins)Work undertaken on farm. Italian prisoners of war assisted. (30 mins)Delivery of milk to Biddenham Dairies by horse and trap. Horse bolted on one occasion. (32 mins)End of Side A Side B (00 mins)Long hours on farm during harvesting. Socialised occasionally with other land girls and American troops at large house in Elstow. Dancing was her passion. (05 mins)Didn't like taking the bull to service the cow. She is still friendly with two former land girls. Invested in electric sewing machine. (10 mins)Left Land Army when pregnant because of heavy nature of some work. Wore six diamond-shaped badges on arm badge to indicate3 years' service. Kept overcoat after leaving WLA and later made it into a coat for her daughter. Returned part-time to sewing when daughter was 3 yrs. Lived next-door to mother, so baby-sitting easy. Became self-employed. (15 mins)Specialised in making wedding dresses, then curtains for Chelford Fabrics for 20 years. (20 mins) End of Side B.END OF INTERVIEW Original interview 50 mins

4 September 2001

From: 1920 To: 2001

item

Clayton, Gladys,
MacFisheries

Women's Land Army, World War One, World War Two, soldier, laundries, Harpur Trust Girls' Central School, W.H. Sons & Company Limited Allen, crafts needlework, dressmaker, fishmonger, driver, cycling, farm worker, pregnancy, prisoners of war, Italians, milk, Biddenham Dairies Limited, horses, harvesting, American Army, dancing, cattle, KEMPSTON, Luton Hoo, ELSTOW