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Tablecloth, embroidered with the full names of the Women's Land Army girls based at The Grange, Sutton-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire. It was a wedding present from the land workers to Miss Doreen Boddy, on the occasion of her marriage to Mr Albert Arthur Elston on 6 June 1942, at St Andrew’s Church, Caunton, Nottinghamshire. The white cloth is embroidered with 24 names in coloured threads. It was donated to the museum by the couple's son.

1 tablecloth: textile

Website submission form [3 November 2024] - 'At the death of my grandmother, the item passed to my father. // The item is a tablecloth, embroidered with the full names of the Land Army girls based at Beckingham, Nottinghamshire. It was a wedding present from the girls to my grandmother, Miss Doreen Boddy, on the occasion of her marriage to Mr Albert Arthur Elston on 06/06/1942, at St Andrew’s Church, Caunton, Nottinghamshire.', Email from donor to MERL, 10 November 2024 - 'My Dad, doesn’t remember ever seeing it on a table. We assume that it was keep in a drawer, as a special gift, with sentimental value. // We don’t know what her connection was to the WLA. She may have been a member, but we really don’t know. She never talked about it. Both my Grandmother & Grandfather were from rural Nottinghamshire families. She was in Service [for Robert Hunt Bradley], before getting married and he was an agricultural worker.', Pre-MERL list / description - 'Additional background information - Doreen worked on her [Maternal] Uncle's (Neville Wetherall) farm for 6 months, before getting married. It is possible that she worked there as a member of the WLA. - Doreen and Arthur (my grandfather was christened as Albert Arthur, but he was always known as Arthur), moved to a Council House in Caunton circa 1943/1944. They had two WLA girls stay with them, who may have been working at Caunton Manor. - Doreen and Arthur had 5 children.', MERL Miscellaneous note - [The embroidery rads:] 'A Seaton Bentley warden // Women’s Land Army // The Grange // Sutton-on-Trent // Newark // Nottingham // Y.W.C.A. hostel. [23 names:] Norah B Moore County Secretary WLA, Philip L Bush Labour Organiser, Eileen Smith maid, Agnes Kelly, Brithet Macclan, Edna Hibbert, Una Stevenson, Hylda Pike, Kathleen Juxon Stevenson, Jean Price, Jean Smith, Joan Orme, Joan Rule, Joan Turner, Joan Waterhouse, Mary Shorter, Mary Weaver, Marion Clay, Nancy White, Nellie Shelton, Norah Hallam, Rhoda Townrow, Vera Taylor.'

Newark-on-Trent

1942 - 1942-06-06