In recent years we have at various times heard of the hockey girl, the tennis girl and golfing girl, but the girl that counts today is the working girl, and locally the type that is pre-eminent is what has become to be known as "the munition girl".
So began an article in The Luton Reporter of July 3rd, 1916, headlined "The Munition Girl - Some Impressions of a Luton Novelty," written by "A Mere Man". It went on:
There are, of course, hundreds of girls and young women in Luton who are daily engaged in munition works and thus are referred to as munition girls, but they are not "The Munition Girl" in mind. She is quite a distinctive species, and quite a novelty to Luton.
She disdains frills and furbelows and many other femininities; she is undertaking man's work, and she believes in filling the role with thoroughness.
Flounces, hobbles and all such creations of fickle fashion, shot silk hose and high-heeled patents have been cast aside for short walking skirts and stout, serviceable shoes that make for comfort and ease of movement. Utility rather than figure is her chief consideration in the selection of a style of jacket. Her headgear is the nearest approach to masculinity she can get, and in some cases she even wears her hair fairly closely cropped and neatly parted at the side!
She affected masculinity in her gait and in other respects with no little aptitude. Jacket pockets render unnecessary a handbag, or a muff, or anything of the kind. An umbrella or sunshade has given place to a walking-stick, and she struts along with a roll and a swagger that is distinctly masculine. In shot, he is a real Bhoy!
Her leisure time is not given up to promenading in the very latest confections with an eye on the nicest looking boy in khaki. She makes up a jolly little party of independents who, hatless and with walking-sticks, set off on their own along country roads for healthy exercise.
Far from the madding crowd she is able to enjoy a quiet puff at the fragrant weed, and arriving back in town tired and thirsty she "drops in" at a cosy hostelry and shows no signs of bashfulness as she pops the welcome question, "What are you going to have?"
She probably shocks the conventional folk , but there is anything but harm in her. She has the capacity for looking at both the serious and light-hearted sides of life, and is well able to take care of herself.
[The Luton Reporter: Monday, July 3rd, 1916]