First steps

I am aware that I know practically nothing about the Second World War, the Home Front or the Women’s Land Army, this is all new territory for me.   What I do know has probably come from films or the odd documentary that I have watched.  So where to start?   

We have been told that there is free access online to a publication from the time called the Land Girl, it was written for and by the WLA, so I take a look at this, making notes as I go along.   Some names soon start to repeat so are worth following up, I make a note of them, and there is also the county employment returns showing how many women were employed.   I also note there are interesting articles about uniforms!

I also decide to see if any of the databases that I am lucky to have access through my day job throw anything up, firstly I search JSTOR for journal articles and then Bibliography of British and Irish History to get a feel for what has been published.    The JSTOR search brings back a useful article by Brian Short,  Short, B. (2007) ‘War in the Fields and Villages: The County War Agricultural Committees in England, 1939-45’,  Rural History. Vol 18 (2) pp. 217-244.   This gives me something to start with around the structure of War Ag Committees and also WLA representation on them.   It starts the process of feeding my brain, even if the topic is a bit on the dry side!

I also find a couple of useful references in the Bibliography of British and Irish History, both to articles in Suffolk Review, Wyer, H. (2008) ‘Suffolk Agriculture in the Second World War’ Suffolk Review 50 (Spring) pp.2-22.  And most excitingly Burrows, L. (2004) ‘The Women’s Land Army in East Anglia 1939-50’ Suffolk Review 43 (Autumn).   A quick check of record office holdings shows that they have the 2004 article, while we at UOS have the 2008 article.   My plan for my first visit to the  record office is to find the article and see if I can find out anything connected to the names I have found.