top of page

A Wickham Market posting

Nancy Mary Sparrow of White House Farm, Bramford enrolled in East Suffolk Women's Land Army on July 20th, 1942 at the age of nineteen. She was working as a comptometress and cashier with the Co-op at the time.

She received a letter from the WLA Office at County Hall in Ipswich giving details of her posting to the Wickham Market hostel at 200 High Street and instructions to catch a bus from The Old Cattle Market in town on August 30th, 1942, the day before she was due to start work as a land girl.

Nancy was based at Wickham Market for the whole of her WLA service and thoroughly relished driving Fordson Standard n tractors and working out in the fields with her Land Army pals. She celebrated her 21st birthday during her time there. The hostel was relatively small and, as a result, there would have been a real sense of camaraderie among the girls.

Nancy was always very proud of being a member of East Suffolk Women's Land Army and lived to the ripe old age of 99.

Key to names on the group photo.

Nancy in mufti.
Nancy in mufti.
WLA letter informing Nancy of her posting to Wickham Market in August 1942.
WLA letter informing Nancy of her posting to Wickham Market in August 1942.
Birthday telegram.
Birthday telegram.
Women's Land Army service record card for Nancy Mary Sparrow.
Women's Land Army service record card for Nancy Mary Sparrow.
Letter received by Nancy from the War Agricultural Executive at Melton at the end of her service.
Letter received by Nancy from the War Agricultural Executive at Melton at the end of her service.
Nancy admiring the Fordson tractors from her days in the WLA.
Nancy admiring the Fordson tractors from her days in the WLA.

Comments


bottom of page