Working For Gardeners Association

During the First World War, it created the Women's National Land Service Corps (WNLSC) in 1916 and recruited 2,000 volunteers.

[3] In February 1916, the Women's Farm and Garden Union sent a deputation to meet Lord Selborne to establish a group in response to the war effort.

[2] She chaired the executive committee, offices were established in Upper Baker Street, and the 9th Duke of Marlborough agreed to be President.

Louisa Wilkins was quoted in The Times asking women if they were doing the right type of war work or were they just "putting sugar in the cups of tea for tommies".

[3] The new organisation was tasked with improving recruitment and providing propaganda about the benefits of women of all classes undertaking agricultural work.

One idea was to ready women for emigration, but the chair Mrs Norman Grovesnor minuted that they would embark on a scheme of establishing small holdings.

[8] With the backing of the Women's Farm and Garden Union, Louisa Wilkins and Katherine Courtauld established a set of small holdings in 1920 on Wire Mill Lane in Lingfield, Surrey.

[8] The tenants were expected to have an income of £25 per annum in addition to capital, as the small holdings were not considered large enough to support their owner.

[8] The initial funders included the suffragette Margaret Ashton who found £5,000 and Sydney Renee Courtauld who lent them £4,000.