Bedfordshire Land Girl Memoir
Bedfordshire Women's Land Army | Land Girl Memoirs
Chimney Corner Hostel
Margaret Wagstaff nee Wortham
(154032: 26 February 1945 8 November 1947)
"I joined the Land Army in March 1945 at the age of eighteen. I had been evacuated from London as a child of eleven and when, at the age of sixteen, I returned to London and had to take on war work in a factory, I hated being shut indoors all day and really missed the country life I had come to know and so volunteered for the Land Army.
I was initially sent to Toddington for four weeks' training and learnt how to lay hedges. From there I moved to 'Chimney Corner' where I stayed for the remainder of my time in the Land Army.
I worked on a variety of farms around Bedford. Early each morning we would climb into the back of lorries to be dropped off at our place of work for the day. I was mostly sent to Bennett's Pear Tree Farm, Elstow, where I worked with the threshing tackle. I also spent time at Cockayne Hatley Orchards, Mark Young's farm at Cople and also at another farmer, Hammer Hill, Haynes, where I recall having to muck out the bull shed. The farmer would move the bull into an adjacent shed with just a thin partition between us. The bull would constantly be banging and head butting against the partition while we worked. I also recall that particular farmer had a rather risqu sense of humour and was often chastised by his wife for making us young girls blush with his jokes!
I recall the hostel at Chimney Corner [it was the name of the pub in Kempston Hardwick, just outside Bedford] was comprised of three blocks of dormitories, each divided into section with sex sets of bunk beds, accommodating twelve girls. There were two 'ablutions rooms' with two baths, six sinks and six toilets in each. Girls from separate dorms did not really tend to mix a great deal; friendships were mostly formed with those you shared with.
There were no laundry facilities and we had to wash our clothes every day in the sinks and hang them out on makeshift lines between the dorms to dry.
We were out very early each morning in all weathers performing manual and often dirty work and son on return to the dorms at the end of the day there was always a rush for the baths.
The food generally was not very good, tea was provided from a large urn and was made ready sweetened (with no choice). It usually tasted awful and stewed so some of us got our own large teapot to make fresh unsweetened tea for those who didn't want sugar.
After our evening meal we would often go to St John's caf in Bedford for steak pie and chips. We were given a packed lunch to take to work with us each day, mostly cheese or corned beef sandwiches with not much filling. Some farmers' wives would kindly give us meals or refreshments.
We did not see much of the warden except when we had to go to her to ask for an iron to press our clothes. She did not regularly visit the dorms and I cannot recall her name.
I left the Land Army in 1947 and a year later married my husband, a local lad from Elstow, whose father owned the threshing tackle I worked on at Bennett's farm in the village."
Eileen remained in Elstow for the rest of her life.
Stuart Antrobus Historian/Author
Page last updated: 10th March 2014