Land Girls and Lumber Jills
National War Museum, Edinburgh Castle
26 February 2010 – February 2011
An exhibition highlighting the vital contribution of the Scottish Women’s Land Army and the Women’s Timber Corps opens in February at the National War Museum, Edinburgh.
The two organisations were formed in 1917 to help meet growing demands for home production during the long struggle of World War I, and were active in both World Wars.
Curator Elaine Edwards said:
‘Land Girls and Timber Jills played a critical role in fighting the war on the home front, by providing essential supplies of home-grown food as well as wood for use in everything from railway sleepers to pit props. This exhibition highlights their important contribution to the war effort as well as the reality of their day-to-day lives.’
Land girls took on all types of agricultural work from sowing to harvesting and calving to shearing, whilst the Women’s Timber Corps worked in the forests supplying wood. Some volunteered while others were conscripted, as by 1941 all women under the age of 60, without children under 14, could be called up for essential war work.
Visitors to the exhibition can see a selection of colourful wartime recruitment posters, discover the history of the two organisations and learn first-hand about the experiences of three Land Army girls and a Timber Jill.
Objects on display will include a Land Army dress uniform and a milking jacket, a selection of working tools and one of the medals recently awarded by the British Government. The objects will be brought to life through the use of personal testimonies, audio recordings and period film footage.
Girls who joined were often very young and away from home for the first time, so they experienced homesickness as well as unfamiliar faces, surroundings and jobs. Many had swapped their town life for the countryside, which was a shock to some but healthy outdoor fun for others. Many marriages were made when Land Girls met future husbands on the farm or Timber Jills found romance with forestry colleagues who came from abroad to assist with the war effort.
The vital hard work and commitment of these women was publicly recognised in 2008 when they were issued with a medal and a certificate of thanks from Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Admission prices
The exhibition is free with admission to Edinburgh Castle. Castle admission prices are currently Adult £11, Child £5.50, Concessions £8, Child under 5 free.
National War Museum Scotland opening times
Monday to Sunday 9.30am to 5pm (1 Oct to 31 Mar); 9.30am to 6.00pm (1 Apr to 30 Sep)
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