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International Women's Day 2025

Women Gardeners during the war by the Glasshouse in the walled kitchen garden — Gwen and Marjorie with Ethel in the frame yard at Clumber Park | © Photograph courtesy of Bassetlaw Museum, Retford

International Women’s Day (IWD), is celebrated annually on March 8 and celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This year we're introducing the women behind the gardens here at Clumber. Today, more than half the gardens team is made up of professional women gardeners with many female volunteers supporting.

A brief history of the garden

Before the 20th century women were only allowed to do casual work such as weeding or fruit picking in the garden. Often these women were the wives of the gardeners or estate workers. Professional gardeners were exclusively male because the apprenticeship system relied on young men living together away from home in the gardeners’ bothy, a space which was considered unsuitable for unmarried women.

Everything changed with the outbreak of the First World War when women became gardeners to replace the men who had joined up to fight.

First World War

Due to a shortage of labour in the gardens women began working in the walled kitchen garden during the First World War.

17-year-old Sophia Davison cycled from Worksop every day and worked with Ethel Jackson, who was the daughter of the Gas Works Manager on the Clumber estate. They worked in the carnation houses and the flowers were sold in Manchester.

Sophia married the Foreman of Indoor Fruit, Arthur Tidbury, who returned from the war in 1919. Ethel continued to work in the carnation houses through the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

Women's Land Army at Clumber

Many women answered the call to join the services and enlisted for the Women’s Land Army (WLA). The WLA was founded during WWI to help prevent food shortages caused by blockades and the absence of farm labourers.

In 1939 as the Second World War began, the WLA was reactivated to allow young women who wanted to try outdoor work to learn the skills needed to assist in Britain’s struggle to feed itself. Thousands of women signed up and by 1943, eighty thousand were registered.

Between 1942 and 1946 at least five women worked at Clumber; Doreen Collard, Gwen Wilson, Margaret Pepper, Sarah Annie Baker and Marjorie White.

They were all local to Nottinghamshire and left jobs such as a shop assistant, hairdresser and machinist to train in the WLA. Marjorie from Retford and Gwen from Nottingham worked here from 1942 - 1946, growing tomatoes and lettuces under glass, and vegetables and fruit in the garden.

Fice women gardeners standing with tools — Over half the Gardens team are women at Clumber | © National Trust

Women Gardeners today

Today, more than half the gardens team is made up of professional women gardeners.

Fiona volunteered at Clumber for three years and has worked here for four years. She has an interest in composting, plant health and garden history. She likes the seasonality of the job and working in such a beautiful place. Her favourite jobs are taking cuttings and pruning.

Lauren finished her National Trust apprenticeship in 2024 and is now a qualified staff member. Prior to that she volunteered in the garden. She has a particular interest in pruning and training fruit trees as well as caring for succulents and cacti.

Helen has worked at Clumber since September 2023 after a background in youth work. She first thought of a career in gardening after running a gardening club for children. She enjoys propagating, pruning, working with volunteers and being outside all the time.

Amy has been a gardener for ten years. She has worked for the National Trust for six years and at Clumber Park for three. She loves working in horticulture due to the diverse range of tasks involved – no two days are the same. She has an interest in propagation.

Heidi has been volunteering at Clumber Park for 11 years and working here for three years. She has a particular interest in no-dig gardening techniques and in the history of walled kitchen garden. She takes care of the interpretation, signage and plant labelling within the gardens.

In addition, there over 70 volunteers who work in the gardens, more than half of which are women.