According to a recording of my father talking for an oral history project in 2003, on leaving Plumpton Agricultural College in Sussex, Eileen Stone and Kay Denyer requested to go to an isolated farm. Their wish was to be as deep in the countryside as possible.

They were first billeted with Mr & Mrs Douglas who lived at 64 Woodgate, Blickling. It was so cold and damp in the beds that sometimes the girls slept in their mackintoshes. They used the tepid water from their hot water bottles to wash in, when there was ice on the washing water in the jug.

They were very relieved when a month later, a room was found for them to share in the farmhouse at White House Farm. It was a ground floor room, and they used to go in and out through the window rather than use the front door and go through the house!

Some of the men working on the farm made it hard for them at first, deliberately leaving things lying around for them to trip over etc, but the girls took everything in good part and were eventually accepted. Eileen remembered being told to go into the pen with the bull to brush his coat - which she did without hesitation. She wasn't one to give up easily and I think she impressed the men with her spirit.