Rushden WW2 land girl Peggy celebrates 100th birthday

A Rushden great-grandmother and former land girl has celebrated her 100th birthday with family, friends, singing and cake.

Peggy Banham, a mum of two, gran of four and great-grandma to 12, has called Rushden home for nearly ten decades.

It is believed that Peggy is one of the last surviving members of the Women’s Land Army who served in the Second World War.

Now 100-years-old, she remembers clearly her life growing up in Rushden, her school days in Newton Road, working in a factory and her time in the services.

She said: “I volunteered for the Land Army when I was 19. I was based in Orlingbury. It was hard work but it was good fun. I got a medal.”

Peggy was born in Glassbrook Road on February 15, 1924, the second child of four, and only daughter of Bernard ‘Budge’ Harper and wife Maisie.

After the family moved to Oval Road, Peggy attended Newton Road Primary School but left at 14 to join her parents in the shoe industry.

When she was 19, she volunteered for the Women’s Land Army, moving into a hostel to work on a farm in Orlingbury.

And it was during her time in uniform she met the man who would become her future husband Geoff Banham, who was based at Chelveston airfield, walking down Rushden’s High Street.

But he had to do the chasing as Peggy stood him up on their first date because of the weather.

She said: “We met in Rushden High Street. He was working at the base at Chelveston. We arranged to meet up. On our first date it poured with rain. He was waiting and I stood him up.”

Geoff persisted and when he joined the Army and was stationed in North Africa, the couple carried on their relationship by letter.

Peggy said: “We got engaged by post in a letter. We got married at St Mary’s Church in Rushden in 1947.”

The couple moved to Felixstowe, Geoff’s home town, where daughter Lesley was born but, homesick, the new family moved back to Rushden. Son Glyn was born ten years after his sister.

Peggy did a series of part-time jobs as Geoff worked as a lorry driver – the couple enjoyed family life with Peggy admitting to be ‘house proud’. They spent quality time with family and friends.

With Lesley based in the USA, Peggy spent much of her retirement travelling visiting countries including America, Switzerland, Canada and Australia.

Her family gathered at her home in Rushden to toast her happy day.

She said: “Family life was good. Now I get to see all my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren – I’m very proud of my family.”

The Women’s Land Army (WLA), originally set up in the First World War, was reformed in June 1939. Women were initially asked to volunteer to serve in the Land Army and, from December 1941, could also be conscripted into land work. At its peak in 1944, there were more than 80,000 women – often known as 'land girls' – in the WLA.