From Ron Green and Tony Millatt, Mersea Museum

During the last war a number of Land Girls, as they were called, worked in the fields on the Island. Several of them were from the Romford area where they had worked in a clothing factory. Working on the land was quite a contrast but they coped well. The first weekend, a number went home to get more clothes - working on the fields was not as warm as the factory.

The first image shows some of the girls hoeing in a wheat field which now has the houses of Windsor Road and flats built over it. In the background we can see Colchester Road and Peartree Cottage.
In the picture are Lily, Joan Pullen (Mrs Ward), Elsie, and in front Eadie and Doris Alexander.

The next image shows the the same group posing on a D4 Caterpillar Tractor Fleet No MOA 159 Reg No. JPU32. The driver was Frank Richer who took the photo. They are clearing a field on Bower Hall Farm near Maydays. Many farms were still worked by horses at the beginning of the War, but there was a big move to get as much land under the plough as possible to feed the nation. Powerful Caterpillar tractors were brought in to clear the land.
In the picture are Doris in the driver's seat, and others include Elsie and extreme right Mona Quick from Shoreditch.

The last image shows some of the girls posing with horseman Percy 'Snib' Bibby of East Mersea with his horse. The White Hart pub is in the background. The local depot for the Wartime Agricultural Committee (the WarAg), the government body for whom the girls were working, was in the Hall Barn where the forewoman Mrs Johnson had her office.
In the picture are Elsie, Lily, Eadie and Doris Smith with Percy 'Snib' Bibby. The horses name is not recorded.

Many of the Land Girls lived in Orleans, the big house behind the Church, and others stayed with local families.

Back Lily, Joan Pullen (Mrs Ward) [but back of photo is crossed out and says "Clair"], Elsie. Front Edie and Doris. The field is now Windsor Road, Mersea. Colchester Road in background

Land Girls at Bower Hall Farm, Mersea. 1. Elsie, 2. Doris, 3. Alexander, 4. Edie, 5. Mona Quick from Shoreditch. Driver Frank Richer. Caterpillar D4 Registration JPU32, Ministry of Agriculture Fleet No MOA159 Driver Frank Richer probably took the photograph. Clearing the lower fields, Bower Hall Farm, 1943.

"Lil, two friends and myself with the ploughman and his horse".
Photograph by the Hall Barn, West Mersea with White Hart in background. Elsie, Lily, Edie and Doris. Horseman is Percy 'Snib' Bibby of East Mersea.

Published in Mersea Community Life April 2025