Canary Girls

[Megan Roberts]

These were the women who worked in the munitions factories in WW1 and WW2, and who got their name from the colour of their hair and skin after being exposed to chemicals used in the production of munitions.

Many of them died, or were maimed and otherwise injured.

Now group of women are lobbying for a memorial to them to be erected at the National Arboretum.

They have a petition that needs signing, and they are fund raising.

canary-girls.com

All too often the contribution that women made to the war effort is overlooked, so I think that this is an excellent project.

[Jomot1]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention Megan, I've just signed.

[grisel]

Thanks Megan.
If you are ever in south west Scotland the Devil's Porridge Museum near Gretna is well worth a visit. It is on the site of what was a huge WW1 munitions factory and tells the story of the lives of the thousands of young women who worked there. As I remember they mixed the cordite by hand in what looked like giant bowls of porridge. Not pleasant! However it was a really interesting and fascinating museum.