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St Hild's College students flax picking


Account from St Hild's College magazine


Flax-Picking in the Midlands.

Last summer about half the College did three weeks or more war-work in the shape of flax-picking in the Midlands. We were under canvas, a perfectly novel experience for most of us, and despite occasional hardships we would not have missed it for – well, the softest and most luxurious bed that could have been offered us.

But – the arrival! We were due on the 15th of July. The lucky ones were those that arrived early in the day. Those of us who came from Wellingborough at eight in the evening had a bad time (and we did pity ourselves!) It rained heavily. The lorry didn’t turn up for hours. When it did, it could only accommodate our luggage, and then it got stuck in the mud about half-a-mile from Camp, leaving us without dry clothes or bedding for the night. So we arrived, 30 of us, drenched and miserable about 11 o’clock. However, we ate, borrowed, and tried to smile, were conducted to our tents by lantern light and – survived. We got quite the worst over that first night.

The camp itself was a well fitted up one (due to the fact explained to us by a corporal, that it had been constructed entirely by engineer corporals). Water was laid on from Irchester, 2 miles away. We had two large mess marquees, two washing marquees, a bath tent (muddy and unsatisfactory, but still – a bath tent), and last but not least a very good YWCA [Young Women’s Christian Association] Canteen and rest room. Seven usually slept in a tent. We had our own mattress stuffed with straw, or else we slept on (more often beside) the coffin shaped mattress provided by Government.

Tents were obviously made for man in the first place. There was no possibility of hanging a mirror – that first necessity of woman – anywhere securely. Also there was no place for clothes except the centre pole, which bulged six layers thick and overflowed. It was depressing to discover in the morning turn out of bedding, that the crumpled garment under one’s mattress was one’s only respectable visiting blouse! Sometimes we slept outside with only the stars above us. These were great nights.

The flax was not quite ripe when we arrived, but a few days saw in some of the fields the vanishing of the pretty blue flower, and the gold shimmer coming upon the waving green masses. Our day’s programme was as follows: 6, rising whistle – we had a Girl Guide bugler after a fortnight or so. 7, breakfast. 7.45, set out for the fields, which were sometimes four miles away, and reached by motor and horse lorry, or by cycling. 8.30-12, work hard. 12-1, lunch and rest. 1-3, work again (a very tiring stretch this). 3 hurrah! tea, 3.30-5, the last lap, and 5, the welcome whistle, and home to dinner at 6. We worked in “gangs” – 7 to each gang, and each member of the gang was responsible for about a yard’s width down the field. We pulled the flax out by the roots, laid it in bundles, tied it, and then “stooked.” The bending was the most trying part. It was worth while being sturdy and rather short; one felt it less so. Shall we ever forget the joy of 5 minute rests every 1 ½ hours, and the relief when lunch or tea time came, when we promptly lay flat on our backs, on the ant-heaped and very rough earth and felt that to lie for ever so was perfect bliss!

The evenings were delightful. After dinner we explored the neighbouring villages, or went further afield to Rushden or Wellingborough to visit cafes. (Anglicised, and pronounced caifs). Sometimes there were concerts in the YWCA. Sometimes we were content merely to laze on our blankets beside our tents, and write an occasional letter.

There are many memories which we shall wish to keep always with us. There was the visit of Miss Christopher. She was the only Principal to come to see her students, and we were so proud of her. There was the very great kindness shown to us by the people of the district – the concerts and teas they arranged for us. And along with those bigger things, comes a crowd of lesser but still vivid experiences – the “male kiss” of blankets, the terrors of orderly day, when one discovered what a dreadfully hospitable vegetable a cabbage was, giving room to every kind of creeping thing, the eccentricities of tent flaps and ropes, the satisfactoriness of a Parson’s pork pie. We shall never forget these open air days, and the sense of fellowship and comradeship they brought with them.”

L. S. McL

Date: Jul-1917

Author: Unknown St Hild's student

Reference: E/HB 1/518

Where to find this: Durham County Records Office – St Hild’s College Magazine 1918-1919

Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham

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