The Great War. 1914. Slowly men left Britain's factories to enlist and arsenals hired women to replace them. The slogan: Be the Girl Behind the Man Behind the Gun.
Canary Girls by Jennifer Chiaverini is well researched historical fiction that engages the reader with a slice of history one might not know. Former cooks, maids, shop girls, and housewives sought better wages and more independence than they ever had. The "munitionettes" worked grueling shifts, handled explosives (TNT), and endangered their health for the sake of their nation. (cover blurb)
Identified by their yellow skin and hacking cough, the Canary Girls prove resilient in their work, friendships, lives, and play in the arsenal ladies football club, the Thornshire Canaries. The bosses wife joins the administration and is a staunch advocate for the ladies.
This book is interesting and entertaining. I cared about the ladies and their situations - worries about children at home, husbands on the front, and managing to live in tough conditions.
A whole generation of women literally held their world together. This sound like an excellent book. thecontemplativecat here.
ReplyDeleteThe author obviously did the research. Depicted the hardships and camaraderie displayed by women.
DeleteThere were a lot of women working dangerous, war-related jobs during the war.
ReplyDeleteWorking to survive and support the troops. Real patriotism abounded. Wasn’t just lip service.
DeleteHi Joanne - the Match girls as they were also called here ... actually I now see I've taught myself something - I thought they were of the WW1 era - but no they were much earlier - it was early in the match story - they were invented in the 1840s by Bryant & May ... phosphorous necrosis.
ReplyDeleteThere were many jobs the women moved into once the men went to war in WW1 - and then were ousted from at the end of the war. Sounds an informative book ... cheers Hilary
It is dramatic historical fiction. Made me think about surviving in war time. Ugh!
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