My Attitude and Others Attitudes to Land Girls
None of this defeated me for I was determined to stick it out, and to succeed. I think many of the old men thought little of our abilities in the first instance, as I was to find on the several farms I was to work on. But toward the end there was a grudging admiration. I think too having comely young girls around made them remember their youth.
My Response to Work
All this was hard and new work to me for I was actively engaged in the open air at unfamiliar tasks using unaccustomed muscles, so I ate heartily and at the end of a long day was more than ready for sleep. Here I developed my body and muscles, and, despite all the activity put on weight.
Leaving the Agricultural College
The time then came for me to leave. How we were assigned, I cannot recall but it probably had something to do with how well we had done, our aptitude for the work, our own wishes, and as we were so young with many under the age of 21 (when one became legally of age), our parents views. WLA management supervised us to see we were happy, properly paid and accommodated and not exploited. The WLA also cared about our moral welfare.
WLA Supervision
Just how all this was organized I cannot now recall distinctly, but I think there were a number of lady supervisors who called at the farms we were working on and talked to us and the farmers who employed us. This gave her the chance to see how we were doing and if we had any complaints that she could deal with. She then would speak to the farmer to sort out the difficulties, remind him of our terms of employment and/or arrange a transfer for us. These WLA supervisors were older and mature women sympathetic and understanding of our needs, and well able to cope with the quirks of old countrymen.
I was at Hutton 1949-1950 and worked there for the following year until I was offered a post at the Min of Ag. in Winckley Square, Preston .
Hutton saw one of the best years of my life.
We were all devastated when it closed down, but they organised a grand Farewell Reunion, slap up meal, entertainment and overnight accommodation.
I could go on and on!
Cheers from Joan.
Thank you Joan for those remarks and I’m pleased you found your way to Jeanne’s website. Perhaps you will go “on and on” with your remembrances as I’m sure there are others still around with memories of Hutton and what it meant to them.
Jeanne always spoke highly of her time there, not only from what she learned practically but the friendships she made and the comradely atmosphere of all the young girls together and from all the different backgrounds.
Regards,
John Flann, for the late Jeanne Flann.
Any photo as from 74 to 76 hutton
I was a student at Hutton from 1958-60 as a student in the poultry department. If you have any photos of the college, I would very much appreciate a copy for a book I am writing.
Sorry no. The only photos that I had are the ones shown on the website. I wish I had more.
No, sorry, no photos beyond those on the site.
My late parents, Ian and Gladys Hammonds (nee Brierley) met at the agricultural college in Hutton where they went to study poultry husbandry in the early 1950’s. They married in 1955 and after undertaking smaller agricultural work jobs, set up their own poultry farm producing eggs. If anyone has any information about the Hutton college from the early 1950’s I would be very interested to read about it.
If any posts anything, I will be sure to let you know.
Hi, I did an NCA at Hutton 1983/84. If there is anyone reads this that attended the same year course I would love to hear from them! I lost contact with everyone from that course. Please contact me, my email is peteprince65@aol.com Regards Pete
I hope you find some of your classmates through the site and your comment.
Hi a from Hutton from 1966 to 1967