The Land Girls

Lady Carnarvon,
Thank you for yet another nostalgic story about our unsung heroines who served in these important roles you describe. It is no wonder that women realized that their contributions to both our nations during the World Wars would lead to more important roles for women, even though it took a LONG time! Thanks again for these reminders!
Martha G

The latest season of "All Creatures Great & Small" features this aspect in rural war time Yorkshire.
(My 2d favorite British drama after that certain "Abbey"!) Randy Lamb, still awaiting Spring, in (upstate) Maryland, NY

Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Thank you for sharing the stories of these unsung heroes, who met great challenges and achieved more than most would have thought. “Girl power” at its’ finest.
My father, a Captain in the US Army, served in the Second World War, and went to the European Theatre from England. He spoke of the women that were running the farms and he commented on the many brussel sprouts and potatoes they provided to the troops. The fresh produce was deeply appreciated.
When is the History Weekend at Highclere this year?
Thank you so much for this important, yet often overlooked, history lesson. You write so beautifully of many inspiring people and places.
Be well.
Best Regards,
Charlotte Merriam Cole

Never knew how historically far back this Army went. Most interesting, and most of all, vital

Lovely the pictures of the land girls did you and lord Carnarvon have a wonderful weekend and lam fan of Downton Abbey and highcelere castle

I think about my generation (I'm 65) and those younger and how we really do not know first hand the incredible struggles and sacrifices of war. Thank you so much for your informative blog! What exactly is the event at Highclere in September? Also- in the photo of you and 2 beautiful pigs - is she going to deliver piglets soon?

Very interesting! I had never heard of this group and their inspiring story before. I hope to read more about their service. Thank you for sharing!

Dear Lady Carnarvon,

How odd that only a couple of days ago, I was discussing the need to 'Dig for Victory' with my granddaughter as part of her History A-Level this year and was explaining to her why Britain found itself in such a precarious position at the start of WWII in 1939 and the massive difference the Land Girls made to our economy.

I shall now forward your very informative blog to her and suggest she read and inwardly digest before taking her exams!

Many, many thanks for your input.

Sally Johnson

I loved reading about the Landgirls and the work they did. Your account is so interesting.
Auntie Connie (Constance), my Mother’s cousin, left her secretarial job at the BBC in London and went to work on the land in South Wales during WW2. Of course she was older when I knew her and I do wish now I had asked her more questions about that time. I know she loved the life and had to work extremely hard. My Mother told me Connie had had a romance with one of the farmers, not surprisingly because was very pretty, tall and slim with naturally blond hair, The story was that Connie’s Mother persuaded her not to marry him after the war. It was rather snobbish I think and a mistake in hindsight because sadly Connie didn’t have a particularly happy marriage later on.
On a different note, Connie’s elder sister, Gladys, was a secretary in Churchill’s war office during WW2.
Their names were lovely and sound so old fashioned these days.
I’m proud to know both these young women were part of my family and did the best they could during difficult times.

Australia also had a Womens land army allowing women to work the land while the men went to war! Some of our family were involved!
In particular Nancy Turner our cousin who lived in Albury / WODONGA!
Really enjoyed your blog today Lady Carnarvon!
It is 3.30 am now, time to hit the hay!
Best wishes
FLEURINA DECORTES de GILBERT
Orange City East
Central Western NSW
Australia

Loved this story about the Land Girls. There's an episode on 'Foyle's War' that features the Land Girls. It was how I learned about them. Foyle's War is a great series about the home front during WW2. I watched it originally on PBS but you can find it now in Acorn.

Dear Lady Carnarvon,

Thank you for your tales of the Land Girls, I found them to be fascinating! We here in the States are only told about our "Rosie the Riveters," who took over factory jobs while the men were sent off to war. Like your Farm Girls, the ladies were thanked at the end of the war and basically sent back home to get back to all their household chores. I would think some of them LIKED working and contributing to the war efforts. But alas, at that time a woman's place was in the kitchen. AND the nursery as the baby boomers (me!) started to arrive.

Loved seeing Thelma and Louise!

Best regards,
Roberta Fox

Lovely story as always. Also, my daughter gave me your book “The Earl and the Pharaoh” for Christmas. I finished it recently and just loved it. I have read most of your other books as well. You are a wonderful researcher and writer. Thank you for all you do to steward the estate and its history for public appreciation.

Lady Carnarvon,

Another lovely blog. Another blogger mentioned land girls being included in the show "All Creatures Great and Small". Am going to have to see this episode, and this was covered in his books, and now, your blog as well.
The food situation in 1939 was precarious before World War 2 and it looks as though history has repeated itself. Brexit doesn't make things any easier at this point. Hoping that you and Lord Carnarvon have had a lovely week.

Lady Carnarvon,

I am encouraged when I hear of how people rise to the occasion when needed.
I hope that the Land Girls' story is taught in your schools.
Is there any kind of monument/statue that commemorates them?

Lady Carnarvon,
Thank you for a lovely slice of history. Having grown up on a farm, it is all familiar to me. We worked hard, and I could drive a tractor when I was 10.
The photos bring back a part of the story of Downton when Lady Mary
helped to save the swine that were needing water. She was in mud up to her
knees and found it very amusing in the end. It made me really start to like
Lady Mary after that. It showed a very down to Earth side of her.

There is a wonderful novel by Angela Huth called "Land Girls," and a fun series by the same name from 2021. The courage and hard work of these women should always be remembered.

When you were a little girl did you ever think you will be a lady in a castle on day? Were there any signs when you were younger?

Thank you, Lady Carnavon, for another unsung-hero story--and with a happy ending. It brought a smile to my face, which many of us need in these uncertain times.

Dear Lady Carnarvon:

Thank you for this Monday's blog and for sharing the interesting history of Lady Denman and "The Land Girls".

I am curious. Now that both men and women serve in all aspects of the military, who would fill the agricultural role if it became necessary? Able-bodied children, senior citizens? Just something to think about.

Until next week, I wish you well in preparing for the September 2025 event.

Perpetua Crawford

Lady Carnarvon,
Great story of the land girls. A wonderful contribution of women. Happy Women's Month. Which should be every day.

This blog about the Land Girls (WLA) truly registered with me as I commented on your blog "What is a weekend?" a few weeks back, that my Mother was a Land Girl. I still have her pin/badge that she wore on her uniform and also miraculously found a professional photo of on the internet several years ago in her uniform and my Uncle who was still living at the time was able to confirm that it was her and how the photo came to be. I have it framed, as she was very proud of her service. She was 18 years old when she was conscripted.
On my many visits across the pond to visit my extended family there, I was able to visit the 22 foot tall bronze sculpture located in Whitehall about 100 yards from the Cenotaph in London, it depicts the uniforms and working clothes worn by the women during the war.

Thank you so much interest to read love my Monday reads

A rerun of the series “Foyles’ War” ran a couple of months ago here on our local PBS station. One episode featured the Land Girls on a small farm but I don’t recall the use of that name. Thanks for filling in the history! So jealous that you can see farm animals daily. Last week’s blog about the new foal was forwarded to my granddaughter who aspires to being a vet.

Love this story! Had I been born in that era I for sure would have been a Land Girl. I’ve watched movies and read about their history and it was overlooked at times, but their contributions were very important.
Thank you for sharing.

Such an interesting article! Those of us living in safety in the U.S. only experienced rationing. As a young child at that time I missed my bubble gum. The horrors of war were in newsreels and families with young men in the armed services. We still admire the courage of Britain and Europe.
The British Empire ruled. The countries Britain ruled were always governed in such a way that stability reined. It is still seen today even when the British have left. They left a legacy to be much admired.

Thank you so much for this tribute to the Land girls.

My mother was one of the very first in 1917 when she was only 14, she could hedge and ditch and plough with two heavy horses on he father's farm and she drove a pony and trap on her own for over two miles to collect rations from the railway station for the German prisoners of war who had been sent to work on the farm. I have a photo of her in her uniform and I am so proud of her.

During WW2 my maternal aunt left her job in a jam factory in Leeds and became a Land Girl. Within the depth of the Yorkshire dales, she honed her skills.
Once the GI’s joined the war, it wasn’t long after that Joan and her co-workers were invited to dances by our American friends….she quickly learned to jitterbug and by all accounts, was an absolute whizz on the dance floor!
It was at one of these dances that she met her husband to be; a handsome Royal Marine, Richard. Richard survived the war and would, in 1944 become one of thousands who landed on the D-Day beaches at Normandy.
Joan loved her Land Girl service days and often, over several cups of tea, took a trip down memory lane and held us all spellbound.
Most of this generation are sadly no longer with us, but their memories live on in the telling of the story:
Each bearing testament to these incredible women who help Britain win the war.

I didn't know about these remarkable women. Thank you for sharing their story.

A wonderful story from you and the people here who commented on the enormous sacrifices and hard work these women contributed to sustaining the country. It is great to see in so many fields now that historians and commentators are uncovering how women shaped and nurtured the artistic, cultural, scientific and domestic activities and many other endeavours throughout history. Forgive me for saying it, but I can't resist. In the gorgeous picture you like as happy a pig in sh..! and they who look as happy as a duchess in clover or whatever it is they eat.

Had heard of them but didn’t know a lot about this topic. Thank you for the information, so they will be remembered. They certainly made a difference!

Good afternoon Lady Carnarvon.
My book called 'Voices From the Great War Women's Land Army' was published in November 2024. It features the less obvious aspects and challenges faced by women, (both positive and negative) that they encountered whilst serving in a land organisation. It provides details of the more unusual stories and jobs carried out by women of all ages and from all backgrounds who came forward to join land organisations and also the Women's Land Army proper when it was established in early 1917.

Lady Carnarvon, did Highclere have Land Girls working on the estate during the Great War? If so, were their roles varied and did they carry out/turn their hand to any other type(s) of estate work other than that geared to food production? For example, forestry, gamekeeping, assisting with kennels/hunts etc? Do you know of any photographs that exist in Highclere's archive that document their time at Highclere? I really appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you.