Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Agriculture – See photo of certificate. Sylvia’s father was an inspector for the “War Ag”
visiting local farms to determine what land was suitable for arable cultivation. Some of their own
farm was taken in for this purpose, namely three fields that comprised “Church Banks”. Sylvia’s
uncle who farmed in Skelton on Ure was the Chairman of the local War Ag Board.
Sylvia Foxton per comm.
Allotments were brought into cultivation, these were located opposite the School House, another
along the Boroughbridge Road on the left hand side half way to the farm at Broom Close known as
The Spring Gardens, a further one on the right hand side down to Crowgarth. With any
spare/available time the men of the village were sent to cultivate these fields.
John Holt
J Skelton on Ure: A Changing Yorkshire Village
Agriculture in WW2
Food rationing was introduced in Britain in January 1940 when it became apparent that the supply of
foodstuffs from overseas was under threat. Sugar, butter, bacon and ham were rationed first, with
each person being permitted 12oz sugar, and 4oz each of butter and bacon per week. Everyone was
required to register with a butcher for meat.
Rationing continued well after the war had ended. Sugar was finally de-rationed in September 1953
and although margarine, lard, meat and butter were still being rationed at that time, all but the last
of these were available in sufficient more than sufficient quantity to satisfy demand.
When the war began, the nation was faced with an urgent need to increase home food production
as imports of food and fertilisers were significantly reduced and the government set about
dramatically increasing the area of land under cultivation. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
established the County War Agricultural Executive Committees which had the authority to take
measures to increase food production. These Committees had the power to specify the crops to be
grown, to take possession of land, to terminate tenancies, to inspect properties and to organise
mobile groups of farm workers. Into this latter category came the school harvest camps, prisoners of
war and the Womens Land Army.
One of the first actions of each Committee was to organise a large-scale ploughing initiative in which
extensive areas of grassland (some of which had not been ploughed since the medieval period or
even longer) were prepared for arable cultivation; hence the Harrogate Stray and part of
Knaresborough Golf club went under the plough. In June 1940, a farm survey was undertaken to
help achieve these objectives. Each farm was classified in terms of their productive state one of
categories A, B or C. These categories related to the physical condition of the land rather than to the
efficiency of the farmer and his agricultural practices. However, the Committees also assessed the
ability of each farmer to produce food and in cases of gross inefficiency or dereliction, land was
taken under the direct control of the appropriate Committee and labour organised accordingly.
Between June 1940 and early 1941, all but the smallest farm units had been surveyed, representing
85% of the country’s agricultural land.
The next stage was the National Farm Survey of 1941-43 which was more extensive and which would
form the basis of post-war planning. This further survey, for each farm of more than five acres,
provided the following details:
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A Primary Farm Record, providing information on conditions of tenure and occupation as
well as the fertility of that land, the efficiency of the farm equipment and the condition of
water and electricity supplies. It also included details of the degree of infestation by weeds
and/or pests and a view on how the farm was being managed.
A complete census return including statistics of crop acreages and livestock numbers,
together with information on rent and length of occupancy.
A map of the farm, showing its boundaries and individual fields
Smaller holdings, of less than five acres, were subject to a separate survey.
Probably the most controversial part of the 1941 survey, which was largely completed by 1943, was
the assessment of each farm by the recorder in which holdings were classified as one of category A,
B or C. A well-run farm was categorised as ‘A’, a fairly well unit as ‘B’ and a badly run one as ‘C’. If a
farm was designated either B or C, the recorder was obliged to specify his reasons. For example if a
farmer was handicapped by a lack of capital or old age, poor health or a disability, or if his widow
was struggling to manage the farm, then this was all recorded. Similarly, other issues such as
laziness, ignorance or lack of ambition and even a tendency to drunkenness were all noted. The
assessment did not however relate to the productivity of the farm; hence an effective farmer
working land where productivity was low because of poor soils could still be classed as category A.
(ref.4).
Agricultural Labour
Originally formed during WW1, the Womens’ Land Army was re-formed in 1939 to provide a
valuable pool of agricultural labour in a time of national emergency. Farmers would engage their
services, and be billed, through the War Agricultural ExecutiveCommittee. In Ripon, the WLA hostel
was in Bondgate Green Lane although many Land girls would have lived on the farms where they
worked and Land Girls are known to have been at Newby Hall, working in the gardens (ref.8). There
were two sections in the Women’s Land Army, the regular force who enrolled for the duration of the
war, and an auxiliary force for seasonal labour who undertook to provide not less than 4 weeks
continuous service. Individuals in both sections received, in 1940, a minimum wage of 28s for a 48
hour week. As part of their training, the Land girls were instructed on the means of exterminating
pests such as rats, rabbits and moles. The WLA were disbanded in 1950.
The authorities began to use Italian prisoners of war as a source of agricultural labour in early 1942.
Farmers in the Midlands were the first to benefit, probably because of the location of the first POW
camps; the Italians would have been the initial prisoners from the North African campaign. Farmers
applied to the appropriate County War Agricultural Executive Committee for prisoner labourers. For
each POW who lived in at the farm, the farmer would pay the Committee 40s per week, rising to 48s
after 3 months, but could deduct 21s per week for board and lodging. If the prisoner lived at a
hostel, then the committee charged 1s per hour for his services (ref.5).
The prisoners themselves would receive a fraction of the amount paid by the farmer. During the war,
they were not allowed access to Sterling currency and hence were paid in Lagergeld or camp money
which could be redeemed in the camp shop. Wolfgang Hubbe, who was at Ripon, Great Ouseburn
and Scriven Camps was the paymaster at Scriven, responsible for ensuring the prisoners received the
correct wages for the hours worked in the fields. He has described how German POWs at Scriven
Camp were initially paid 4s per week in plastic money in 1946 but by mid 1947, wages were being
split with 4s paid in plastic and 4s in Sterling currency, this for a 44 hour week (ref.7). At the same
time, ordinary rates for British agricultural labourers amounted to 1s 8d per hour with overtime for
week end working (ref.6).
In 1942, the authorities introduced a scheme whereby schoolboys would help local farmers to
gather in the harvest. The boys would be paid 8d per hour if they were over the age of 16 and 6d
per hour if they were under this age (ref.1). Initially, only boys were used as harvest labour but in
1943, girls occupied some of the camps for the first time. That year, more than 1400 children helped
in the fields of the West Riding, many of whom lived temporarily in tented camps erected for the
purpose (ref.11). Later on, some of these camps would also have huts.
In 1944, a school harvest camp was established at Littlethorpe for the month of October by the girls
from Wheelwright School in Dewsbury. They were assisted at Littlethorpe by girls from Ripon
Grammar School who lived locally and therefore had no need to camp away from home (ref.9).
Other harvest camps were set up at that year at Markington, Winsley Hurst, Knaresborough,
Minskip, Staveley, North Deighton and Copmanthorpe. The following year, a camp was also
established at Boroughbridge (ref.10)
The school harvest camps came to an end after the 1951 harvest although, given the contacts
established between schools and farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries would give
consideration to a continuation in some form following consultation with the National Farmers’
Union (ref.2). By October 1954, the harvest camps were continuing in another form. Then, the
Ministry of Agriculture was seeking volunteers from the general population, as distinct to schools, to
help with potato picking in October and November. Volunteers were charged 30s per week for board
and lodging and were paid at the going rate by participating farmers. They were also reimbursed for
the cost of their travel to and from the camps, up to a limit of 25s (ref.3).
References
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6.
7.
8.
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10.
11.
Harrogate Herald 8 April 1942
Knaresborough Post 18 November 1950
Knaresborough Post 16 October 1954
National Archives: National Farm Surveys of England and Wales 1940-1943
Harrogate Herald 21 January 1942
Ripon Gazette 18 July 1946
Undated letter from Wolfgang Hubbe to Kevin Earl, received 14 January 2012
‘Get Surrey’, 2 July 2008
Knaresborough Post 18 March 1944
Knaresborough Post 17 March 1945
Harrogate Advertiser 26 June 1943
Kevin Earl
Claro Community Archaeology Group
2013
5 September 1942 – Dale writes to the
War Agricultural Committee
19 Sept 1942
Solicitor Mr Cullimore writes to Mr Dale about the authority of the War Agricultural Committee to
order the removal of fences. His opinion is very guarded, but recommends appeal of an order is
made.
21 Sept 1942
Dale’s reply; he’s told the local committee about their ‘absolute idiocy’ and the order is cancelled.
13 Oct 1942 – Further correspondence with War Agricultural Committee
West Yorkshire Archive Service
Morley 2012
Newby Estate Archive