A portrait of Jenny Canning (nee Brash) in her Women's Land Army (WLA) outdoor uniform, taken during the First World War.
As the war progressed and more men enlisted in the armed forces, labour shortages arose. Women were encouraged to fill the vacancies in a number of industries including farming and this led to the formation of the Women's Land Army.
Women who joined the WLA had the option of working in farming, cutting timber or foraging for animal feed. To save fuel for the war effort work was done by hand whenever possible (for example, sowing and harvesting crops) and horses were used in place of tractors. It was exhausting work for many women.
WLA members were issued with a uniform which consisted of brown corduroy trousers, green jerseys and leggings, a WLA hat and coat and hob-nail boots.
Reference: 1530.82.253
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Museums
Keywords:
agricultural labourers, farm labourers, farming, First World War, uniforms, WLA, women, Women's Land Army
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