WE are hoping readers will be able to help provide a picture of a women from Haverigg, near Millom, who was moved to write poetry by the First World War.

Ella Stratton had one of her pieces published in a collection of poems called One Hundred of the Best Poems on the European War by Women Poets of the Empire in 1916.

Lucy London, from Wallasey on the Wirral writes: “I am currently researching women who wrote poetry during the First World War for a series of commemorative exhibitions during the centenary years.

“I am trying to find a photograph of Ella M.Stratton, who had a poem published in a First World anthology in 1916.

“Ella was born in Haverigg on July 31 in 1898 – her parents were Watson and Sarah Stratton.

“Watson was curate of St Luke’s Church at the time of Ella’s birth.

“Ella trained as a doctor and after marrying Ewart John Buxton in 1932, moved back to the Lake District.

“Ewart died in Ulverston in 1976 and Ella died in Barrow in 1981.”

The final words of Ella’s poem, called The Navy, are:

Men of the Navy, we give you your due,

None so enduring, unselfish as you, Giving your all in the rush and the strife, Guarding our honour and guarding our life.

On the 1911 census Ella, aged two, live at the St Luke’s parsonage in some style as they had a 15-year-old domestic servant called Clara Poole who had been born in Urswick.

By 1911 the Strattons were at the village of Airmyn, near Goole, in Yorkshire, where Mr Stratton was vicar at St David’s Church.

The family lived at Airmyn vicarage, later an old people’s home, and in 1911 had a 21-year-old domestic servant called Annie Shipley, who had been born at York.

Ella had a distinguished medical career which included three years in the Gold Coast, West Africa, working for the British Government.

If you can provide a picture of Ella, get in touch with Lucy London by post at 2 Beckenham Road, Wallasey, Wirral CH45 2NZ or by email to infor@femalewarpoets.com