Betty Ackroyd
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.
In 1939 when she was 18 years old Betty was living with her parents Ellis and Ruth, her brothers James aged 27 and Edward aged 22, and her married sister Doris aged 20. James and Edward were working in a worsted spinning mill; James as a drawing overlooker and Edward as a spinning overlooker. Whilst Betty was working as a shop assistant in a drapers shop her sister Doris was working at Whiler Dyeworks.
War Service:
Betty joined the Women's Land Army (WLA) on the 29th July 1941 and was posted to Wiltshire on the 4th August. By the 21st November 1941 Betty had been transferred back to West Yorkshire, though no reason is given. The following year on the 13th March Betty was again transferred to Wiltshire where she met her future husband David B Frost who was serving in the RAF. They married in 1944 and Betty retired from the WLA the following year in 1945. Her record stated that she retired from WLA on the 30th June as being unable to do full time work. This was the phrase used for being married.
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 is registered in Chelmsford, Essex in the 4th quarter of 1981. David died in the 4th quarter of 1999 aged 78 years.
Source Information:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
England & Wales 1939 Register
Women's Land Army record 1941-1945
England & Wales Civil Registration Marriage Index 1916-2005
England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index 1916 - 2007
