Women's Land Army hostels research

Thought I would pass this on, as I'm interested myself-

"Dear colleagues,
I am undertaking research into Second World War Women's Land Army hostels. While much of the published literature is autobiographical in nature or assesses the contribution of the WLA to the war effort, I am failing to find references to the history and role of the WLA and in particular the type of buildings they lived in and worked from. I am aware that schools and country houses were requisitioned as hostels, but I am particularly keen to know more about the purpose-built hostels.
Can anyone tell me what the component parts of a hostel comprised of? I assume that there were office, accommodation, ablution and dining facilities, together with tool / storage sheds and possibly boiler rooms. Finally, is anyone aware of any research listing the locations of the hostels in the UK or whether (?Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) standard design drawings for the various building elements survive?
Grateful for any pointers...
Many thanks,
Jon
Jonathan Berry
Assistant Inspector of Ancient Monuments / Arolygydd Cynorthwyol Henebion
Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings / Yr Arolygiaeth Henebion ac Adeiladau Hanesyddol
Cadw, Plas Carew, 5/7 Cefn Coed, Parc Nantgarw, Cardiff / Caerdydd CF15 7QQ
( 01443 33 60 73
Ë 07968 609 838
) jonathan.berry@wales.gsi.gov.uk / jonathan.berry@cymru.gsi.gov.uk "

 

Hello Jon

I have also been looking into W.L.A. hostels, but in particular the ones where my Mother was billited. These hostels were and could be any building that was available or could be convered for use and some of them were very basic and extremely uncomfotable.
My Mothers first hostel was at Horton House, Northamptonshire and consisted of converted stable blocks, with no electricity or any form of heating and the food provided was not very good and many of the girls fell ill while staying in these places. It took me almost a year to find the building but it still exists and I have a photo of it......it is now a retirement home, but looks much as it did in the 1940's. I have some more photo's of a hostel in Wollaston, Northamptonshire and again it is still standing, but I have pictures from the 1940's and of today, along with some land girls with Italian POW's.
If any of my pictures are of interest to research of these hostels, please let me know and I can pass them on.
The main problem is that these buildings have slipped through time and been forgotton and even the local people don't know where these buildings are, as I found from my research, I guess if you stayed in one, then you will know where it is, but unfortunately, there are very few Women left to ask them their stories

Good luck with your research

HarryWR

 

don't know if this helps gordon.. Womens Land Army

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/86/a2049086.shtml

http://www.mail-archive.com/lanark-l@rootsweb.com/msg03622.html