A HISTORIAN is trying to trace relatives of Land Army Women who boosted Britain’s food production during the Second World War around Great Oakley.

Beryl Tite, of Great Oakley, has been collecting historic information about the village and the First and Second World War for the past two decades.

She recently found photographs of Land Army Women who helped mark the start of the feminist movement by working manual labouring jobs throughout the war to help the country.

Their jobs included milking cows, lambing, ploughing, gathering crops, catching rats and carrying out farm maintenance work. They either lived on farms where they worked or hostels.

Beryl said there were nine women who came to Oakley Hall and she is trying see if the women have any relatives around today.

So far Beryl believes the first woman on the right of the photograph is Maud Gomm, of London, and the girl taking the picture is Syble Wrycroft, of Great Oakley.

She thinks the forth woman from the right is Marion Goodwin, of Cleveland Road in South Woodford, who became Mrs S Tricker of Oakwood, in High Street, Great Oakley.

Beryl said she is hoping to add the names of the Land Army Women who worked in Great Oakley to her archives. She said: “I keep everything in an archive in the village.

“I have lived in Great Oakley most of my life and the Second World War is an interest as when I was a child I used to play on the pill box. I later became interested in history and joined a history group in Clacton.” If you know a Land Army Woman in any of the photoographs call or text Beryl on 07376 952656.