Z1205/194

Female. Land Army girl during Second World War, then housewife. b. 15.11.1924

27 January 2003

From: 1920 To: 2003

SIDE A (00 mins)Born and raised in Cople Road, Cardington where he mother's family came from. Father's family form Stagsden. Maternal grandparents lived locally. (05 mins)Used to visits cousins on their farm Eaton Socon near St. Neot's during holidays. Used to be two shops in people's houses and a post office in Willington. Two pubs: King's Arms and Exeter Arms. Elementary school. (10 mins)From 11 went to Elstow school by bus. Father was a farm worker then went o work in Bedford. During the First World War he was in the army. After school, interviewee worked at a printers in Midlands Road, Bedford, doing bookbinding, aged 15 (?). Her work was a Reserved Occupation during the Second World War (1939-45) but she had said to her cousin that she would go wherever she did. (15 mins)Despite fearing the hard work, she joined the Land Army. Enjoyed it because of the companionship of other girls. Sent to Hulcote Moors hostel, a large farmhouse, up a long drive. About 20 Land Girls housed there. (20 mins)Went to dances at the RAF Camp at Cranfield. American forces used to come and collect them in a truck to attend dances in Thurleigh. Attended Glen Miller concerts in the Corn Exchange, Bedford. (25 mins)Farmers requested Land Girls to work on seasonal work such as hoeing and threshing. Transport dropped them off in groups at various farms and collected them at the end of the day. Worked throughout the Vale, Ampthill, Marston, Maulden. Remembers building hay stacks. There were twin girl working there - surname Virgin. Mr. Watling, the warden, would say to farmers, "I'll send you Peggy and the two Virgins" and farm workers would say, "I wonder who the two virgins are". (30 mins)Spent 3-4 years in the Land Army. Was able to get home most weekends to see Mum and Dad. Cycled to Cardington from Cranfield area from Wootton and Kempston. Brother away in the army. (32 mins)End of Side A Side B (00 mins)An Allied plane came down close to the hostel one night and pilot, who had parachuted to safety knocked on their door. He spoke in a strange accent and they thought he was German. In fact he was Polish. Mr. & Mrs. Whatling were in charge of the hostel and were very nice. The girls had to be in by 10pm each night, except when they went out dancing. Visited The Swan pub in Cranfield. Often very tired. Because of the limit on depth of water to be used in a bath during wartime (5 inches), they often shared a bath, back to back. (05 mins)Shortage of soap; often resorted to buying men's shaving soap from Woolworth's. She was voted to be May Queen by the other hostel girls and had a special dress and 'crown' made. As well as a parade in the hostel grounds, with Land Girls raising their forks above her. As she processed, she also took part in a parade in Bedford. She was 20 year old. (10 mins)This was filmed and some people said they had seen her on a newsreel film in the cinema. After leaving the Land Army they used to have a yearly reunion at one woman's house in Luton. Married and had a son. (15 mins)Met husband to be towards the end of the war at the RAF camp. Got married in London on 25 January. Has rheumatism now from those days of getting wet, as the men at the time warned us. (20 mins)Husband got a job at W.H. Allen's engineering Queen's Works in Bedford. Her son got an apprenticeship there. Started married life with one set of saucepans. (25 mins)Vagrant woman who sleeps in local bus shelters. (30 mins)End of Side B. Original Interview 60 mins.

item

Miller,
Allen

women's employment, Land Army, World War Two, housewife, public houses, farm worker, Holcotmoors Farm, RAF, American Army, corn exchanges, Polish, health, women's history, COPLE, CARDINGTON, STAGSDEN, WILLINGTON, ELSTOW, CRANFIELD