84/37/1-2

Coles (Manufacturer)

This pair of brown leather lace-up shoes is part of a Women's Land Army uniform and was worn as part of the official W.L.A. uniform issued to women during World War II. They were used by the donor, Mrs Davies, whose maiden name was Miss White, and who considered them her best pair. The sole of the shoes is inscribed: 'L // PLEASE GREASE // ME // W. L. A.'. The inside of the shoes is inscribed, 'COLES // 1944 // BURTON LATIMER // W ↑ D // 101' and bears the owner's name, 'I. E. WHITE'.

1 pair of shoes: leather; metal

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: SHOES // Accession number: 84/37/1-2 // Classification: PERSONAL Clothing footwear // Negative number: 60/14639 // Acquisition method: GIFT // Acquired from, date: MRS I. E. DAVIES, 1 WYCHWOOD CLOSE, EARLEY, READING JULY 1984 // Store: Permanent Exhibition // Condition: good // Recorder, date: JMB 24.10.84 // Description: A pair of brown leather lace-up shoes with metal studs in the soles and metal heel tips. // Inscription: [‘on sole:’ underlined] L // PLEASE GREASE // ME // W. L. A. // [‘inside:’ underlined] // COLES // 1944 // BURTON LATIMER // W ↑ D // 101 // owners name I. E. WHITE // Dimensions: Length: 27.0cm. // Associated information: 'Best' pair of ladies land army shoes used by Mrs Davies (née White) // See 83/65/1-3 for other items of W.L.A. uniform and list of references. // References:', Letter, MERL to Mrs I. E. Davies, 31 July 1984 – 'Dear Mrs Davies, // Thank you very much for donating the dish and the Land Army jacket and shoes to the Museum. They provide a very useful and welcome addition to our collections. // Yours sincerely, // Roy D Brigden // Keeper, Museum of English Rural Life', Photocopy of Printed Report - 'Hands On Learning with Reading Museum Service // Women's Land Army H542 // Shoes // Sensible shoes were a necessity for the land girls. [...]'

Burton Latimer

1944-01-01 - 1944-12-31

Leather, Metal, Fibre