Hard-wearing corduroy breeches were part of the uniform of The Women’s Land Army. They were issued to thousands of mainly young women (called Land Girls) who volunteered to help on farms in World War 2. By 1943 there were over 80,000 Land Girls at work.
This pair (size 0) was the smallest available and was issued in 1945.
Land Girls did all sorts of valuable jobs to boost food production - from driving tractors and milking cows to working in orchards and hop fields and bringing in the harvest. Some were even employed as rat catchers!
Food was in short supply because German U-boat submarines were sinking ships bringing food to Britain.
Hundreds of Land Girls were employed on farms around Folkestone and thousands across Kent.
