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including creating their own vineyard. The warm weather in Devon lent itself to vineyards and wine production. Between 1977 and 1997 they were producing up to 35,000 bottles of wine and attracting nearly 15,000 visitors a year. Reg was also involved in the museum, sourcing many of the items in our farm gallery collection from local farms and enabling us to tell the stories of farming change now and in the future.
Filling the Grape Trailer 1990
Women’s Land Army: Following the outbreak of the Second World War, the farming landscape changed drastically. Men were called up and acres of grassland were ploughed up to grow extra food. This lead to the creation of the Women’s Land Army. Women from across the country and more locally came to work on the land in the South Hams. Miss Ilbert, who owned Bowringsleigh in West Alvington was on the committee responsible for organising the Land Army in this area. We have many letters and notes from her time, which reveal challenges with finding billets, issues about sourcing uniforms and overtime payments. Farmers were initially sceptical about the role of women, especially those with no farming experience, but when the Land Army was disbanded 11 years later the National Farmers Union wanted to keep it. Reg Sampson recalls “We were working long hours to get the work
done...all the swedes had to be hoed and singled individually. It could be a soul destroying job but life was more bearable with the company of a few land girls”.
Land Army girls with civilians and workmen, and dog, outside shed, probably at Bowringsleigh during World War II.
Miss Margery Ilbert, the late owner of
Bowringsleigh, West Alvington
We are looking to collect more modern farming stories as part of this exhibition, including oral histories and photographs. If you have stories to share please do get in touch, contact details below. The museum re-opens for 2020 with our new farming exhibition on Monday 23rd
March. Visit our website or follow us on
Facebook for more details about our events and activities all year round. We are also looking for more volunteers to help us continue to collect, preserve and share the history of the South Hams. We are particularly looking for stewards to help keep the museum open to the public and research volunteers to help make our collection more accessible. If you have a few hours to spare please do get in touch. Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum 108 Fore Street, Kingsbridge TQ7 1AW Tel: 01548 853235
Email:
hello@kingsbridgemuseum.org.uk www.kingsbridgemuseum.org.uk
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