Women’s Land Army
Early Life:
Betty was born on the 29th October 1918 and her birth registered in Keighley. Her parents were Ellis and Ruth Ackroyd (nee Smith). Ellis was a butcher and they lived at 212 West Lane, Keighley. Betty was living with her parents Ellis and Ruth, her brothers James and Edward, and her married sister Doris when she joined the Women’s Land Army (WLA) on the 29th July 1941. At that time James and Edward were working in a worsted spinning mill; James as a drawing overlooker and Edward as a spinning overlooker. Betty’s sister Doris was working at Whiler’s Dyeworks, whilst Betty herself worked as a shop assistant in a drapers shop.
War service:
On joining the Land Army Betty was posted to Wiltshire on the 4th August and then back to West Yorkshire on the 21st November 1941. By 13th March 1942 Betty was back in Wiltshire. It was in Wiltshire where she met her future husband David B Frost who was serving in the RAF. They married on the 20th November 1944 and Betty retired from the WLA the following year in 1945. Her service card said that she was unable to do full time work.
Later life:
At sometime Betty and David moved to Essex where David’s family were from. Betty died at the age of 62 years and her death registered in Chelmsford, Essex in the 4th quarter of 1981. David died in the 4th quarter of 1999 aged 78 years.
Information Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
England & Wales 1939 Register.
Womens Land Army record 1941-1945.
England & Wales Civil Registration Marriage Index 1916-2005.
England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index 1916 – 2007.
