Cheshire Memories: Trip down memory lane for Land Girl

By Chester Chronicle on Apr 15, 09 09:54 AM in 2000 onwards

AMONG the congregation enjoying a service to celebrate the contribution made by the Cheshire Women's Land Army and Timber Corps was Pat Paton, who worked on a farm near Malpas for three of the war years.

Mrs Paton, neé Grainger-Smith, now aged 89, was invited to the service at Chester Cathedral to join a congregation of 700 people.

Mrs Paton was born in Wallasey and on joining the Land Army worked at Larkton House farm, Duckington.

Mrs Paton, the mother of David Paton of Threapwood, said: "I was very glad I went, it brought back many memories. I look back on those days as a time when we worked hard but we felt that what we were doing was worthwhile.

"It was hard but we did it and got on with it like any other job - and I was lucky to go to a good farm."

On Mrs Paton's 21st birthday in January 1941 she went along to Wallasey Town Hall, without telling her parents, and enrolled for the Land Army.

"Having lived by the sea up until then I thought of joining the WRNS but in the end opted for the Land Army," she said.

"Within less than a month I received orders to go to Reaseheath Agricultural College on February 17 where I had a month's training on most aspects of farming.

"Very intensive it proved to be and a somewhat steep learning curve as my previous job was as a teacher at my old school!

"On March 17 I was sent to Maurice Done's farm, Larkton House, Duckington, near Malpas. He was the son of John Done , Manor House Hampton, of tuberculin tested milk fame.

"I lived in at the farm and remained there for my three and a half years service, leaving at the end of July 1944 to get married."

Her husband Raymond Paton, was also working on the farm as a student.

During the service there were readings by the Lord Lieutenant, William Bromley Davenport; John Platt, chair of the Reaseheath College Board and a sermon was read by the Bishop of Chester.

Memories of a Land Girl were recounted by Doreen Sutherland and songs from the 1940s were sung.

The service concluded with the national anthem.