Creative wartime endeavours on Wiltshire’s home front

This painting by Doris Lloyd records the amazing individual and community contributions towards Wiltshire’s Second World War effort

Born in London in 1908, Doris Annie Harvey proudly declared herself to be an artist when she married Leslie Lloyd in 1932. Soon afterwards, Doris, Leslie, and their son Maxwell, moved to Castle Combe with her parents, where her father became landlord of the White Hart Inn. It was here that Doris contributed to the war effort by painting a series of panels to raise funds for the Armed Forces.

Despite being miles from the sea, in March 1942 the Chippenham area began raising money for Warships Week. In Corsham and Chippenham the local Home Guard and ARP Wardens paraded through the towns. Schools, including St. Paul’s in Chippenham, put on performances to help raise funds towards the area’s target of £230,000.

The panel Doris painted as part of the fundraising effort shows three warships alongside the goal of raising £1,000, enough to fund a sick bay. She was later able to add the actual total raised, an impressive £2,577, the equivalent of nearly £85,000 today.

In total the Chippenham area raised £247,000 during Warships Week, over £8 million today! With the funds the area chose to adopt HMS Cyclops. Launched in 1905 HMS Cyclops saw service during both World Wars, as a naval supply ship and later as a submarine depot during the Second World War. These ships were essential for keeping the navy’s fleet stocked and maintained for the duration of the war. In recognition the area was presented with a plaque from the ship’s crew.

During the war Doris painted further fundraising panels for the Army and the Air Force. After the war, Doris and Leslie moved into the family business, working at the Plough Inn in Littleton Drew. Doris continued to paint throughout her life, producing views of the many picturesque villages to be found in the local area.