‘Dig for Victory’ and the Land Girls
2010
Watch the Ministry of Agriculture's Dig For Victory video, provided by the Imperial War Museum.
‘Dig for Victory’ and the Land Girls
>>>>
In September 1940, with the prospect that the war, later to be known as the Second World War, might last longer than a few months, the government hoped to avert hunger by encouraging people to grow their own food. The Ministry of Agriculture’s, ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign transformed backyards, formal gardens, lawns and sport pitches into makeshift allotments. Propaganda films were released by the government during the war, demonstrating how to prepare soils and grow food plants.
During the 1940s, public open spaces throughout Edinburgh were allocated to the production of food. The Meadows, for example, were turned into allotments. It has been claimed that during the war 10% of the nation’s food supplies came from gardens and allotments.
As the war deepened and more men were called up to fight, an additional campaign was established to recruit women to work the land. The Women Land Army was formed to enlist women to help farmers and to increase the production and harvest of food.
A current exhibition at the National War Museum, Edinburgh entitled Land Girls and Lumber Jills, curated by Elaine Edwards, reveals stories of Scottish Land Girls and Lumber Jills and gives accounts of life in the Women Land Army.
Girls and women had to apply to become part of the Women Land Army and it was not guaranteed that they would be recruited. If their application was approved, Edinburgh girls would be invited to have an interview. Those successful were asked to pack a suitcase of belongings and were picked up by bus at St Andrew’s Square and taken to their designated destination.
A suitcase in a glass case at the entrance to the National War Museum, highlights the story of a Land Girl who had brought her suitcase along to the farm. The other girls started unpacking around her. She said she would unpack later. As it happened her suitcase was empty; she owned nothing but the clothes she was wearing. This was quite common at the time of the war. Many families were living in extreme poverty and the Land Girls’ incomes were desperately needed.
It is known that Land Girls worked the grounds of Saughton Gardens. The formal beds of ornamental flowers were dug over and planted with onions. The onions were then distributed to the hospitals of Edinburgh. Allegedly the Land Girls were housed in Saughtonhall Manor.
There are still original Land Girls living in Edinburgh but to date I have not been successful in finding any who worked the grounds of Saughton. I am still searching for any surviving Land Girls or people who can remember the gardens at these times.
>>>>
In September 1940, with the prospect that the war, later to be known as the Second World War, might last longer than a few months, the government hoped to avert hunger by encouraging people to grow their own food. The Ministry of Agriculture’s, ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign transformed backyards, formal gardens, lawns and sport pitches into makeshift allotments. Propaganda films were released by the government during the war, demonstrating how to prepare soils and grow food plants.
During the 1940s, public open spaces throughout Edinburgh were allocated to the production of food. The Meadows, for example, were turned into allotments. It has been claimed that during the war 10% of the nation’s food supplies came from gardens and allotments.
As the war deepened and more men were called up to fight, an additional campaign was established to recruit women to work the land. The Women Land Army was formed to enlist women to help farmers and to increase the production and harvest of food.
A current exhibition at the National War Museum, Edinburgh entitled Land Girls and Lumber Jills, curated by Elaine Edwards, reveals stories of Scottish Land Girls and Lumber Jills and gives accounts of life in the Women Land Army.
Girls and women had to apply to become part of the Women Land Army and it was not guaranteed that they would be recruited. If their application was approved, Edinburgh girls would be invited to have an interview. Those successful were asked to pack a suitcase of belongings and were picked up by bus at St Andrew’s Square and taken to their designated destination.
A suitcase in a glass case at the entrance to the National War Museum, highlights the story of a Land Girl who had brought her suitcase along to the farm. The other girls started unpacking around her. She said she would unpack later. As it happened her suitcase was empty; she owned nothing but the clothes she was wearing. This was quite common at the time of the war. Many families were living in extreme poverty and the Land Girls’ incomes were desperately needed.
It is known that Land Girls worked the grounds of Saughton Gardens. The formal beds of ornamental flowers were dug over and planted with onions. The onions were then distributed to the hospitals of Edinburgh. Allegedly the Land Girls were housed in Saughtonhall Manor.
There are still original Land Girls living in Edinburgh but to date I have not been successful in finding any who worked the grounds of Saughton. I am still searching for any surviving Land Girls or people who can remember the gardens at these times.
