212810 Florence Jane Beeden Women's Land Army Newstead Abbey from:Battersea, London My nan, Florence Beeden, was stationed at Newstead Abbey as part of the Woman's Land Army. She was quite short but had no fear of riding the shire horses used on the land. She smoked at the time but having taught the other ladies to smoke, then gave up herself! I believe she was given an item from the house when she left, a music box I think which my mother now has along with a book on the abbey. While stationed there she met my Grandad, Percy Beeching who was in training despite having his arm in a sling having recently lost a finger in a threshing machine. Thankfully he never got to France as the war ended before his training was completed I think.
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