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Tag: Canadian bomb girls

Vintage Photos of Canadian Women on the Home Front during WWII

This Friday is Remembrance Day, so for this week’s blog posts I am going to focus on Canada during WWII. That means today’s Vintage Photo Tuesday (collection of vintage images blog posts) are 1940s vintage images of Canadian Women on the Home Front, doing their part for their Country.

1941 vintage ww2 photo of a canadian woman working on an airplane part for the war effort vintage photo

Further Reading: I have done MANY posts on the topic “World War 2 Women’s Contributions & Homefront Posts” that you can read by clicking on the link.


War production and savings poster regarding a variety of goods for reuse or repurposing as war supplies, 1940 / 1941.

1940s Vintage Poster: canadian WW2 propaganda poster for War production and savings poster regarding a variety of goods for reuse or repurposing as war supplies

Source: Collections Canada

1943-Time to punch in and begin your service for Canada.

1940s vintage photo of a woman in a floral 1940s dress punching in to a time clock to do her job for the War effort in Canada.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

January 1943-Mrs. Mackay using a Riveting gun at a shipyard in Pictou, Nova Scotia.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort -January 1943-Mrs. Mackay using a Riveting gun at a shipyard in Pictou, Nova Scotia.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

Defense workers on the line.

1940s vintage photo of women defense workers working at the factory in their factory uniforms.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

Not all women during WWII were working on items for overseas, there was regular upkeep needed of items already made in Canada. Like the train pictured below.

1940s vintage photo of Canadian Women during WW2 working on trains for the Homefront War Effort.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

Female worker Margot Bourassa shellacs the body of a fuse in the breakdown room of the Cherrier plant (Montreal) of the Defense Industries Limited.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - Female worker Margot Bourassa shellacs the body of a fuse in the breakdown room of the Cherrier plant (Montreal) of the Defense Industries Limited.

Source: Collections Canada

At the same plant mentioned above a woman sews cordite bags. On a vintage hair note, check out that style. Wow!

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - a woman sewing cordite bags

Source: Library and Archives Canada

Dominion Bridge Company – Two women working in shell manufacturing plant.

1940s Vintage photo of Dominion Bridge Company - Two Canadian women working in shell manufacturing plant.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

It was important in some factories that the workers minds did not go idle, so music was played to help combat this. The below picture is of 2 women workers selecting the music to be played from their central control room at a Montreal factory.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - picture is of 2 women workers selecting the music to be played from their central control room at a Montreal factory.

Source: Collections Canada

Female munitions worker Françoise Corbeil turns out parts while listening to the piped music in her factory.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - Female munitions worker Françoise Corbeil turns out parts while listening to the piped music in her factory.

Source: Collections Canada

Break Time! Group of female workers enjoying a break from their work at a munitions plant.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - Group of female workers enjoying a break from their work at a munitions plant.
Source: Collections Canada

Source: Collections Canada

Testing lenses, at the Instruments Division of the Canadian Arsenals Ltd. optical plant. On another vintage hair note, nice to see hair that looks like mine when I style it (not perfect!).

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort -Testing lenses, at the Instruments Division of the Canadian Arsenals Ltd. optical plant. Cute 1940s hairstyle.

Source: Collections Canada

The Perry Sisters, employed at the Dominion Arsenals Ltd. plant, armed with rake, watering can and pitchfork, help look after the vegetable garden where they are working (looking mighty cute I might add).

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort -The Perry Sisters, employed at the Dominion Arsenals Ltd. plant, armed with rake, watering can and pitchfork, help look after the vegetable garden where they are working

Source: Collections Canada

1943-Women of the Aluminum Co. wait in line to get an autograph from famous Canadian fighter pilot ‘George “Buzz” Beurling‘. Helen Fowler is the lucky lady first in line.

1940s Vintage Photo: 1943-Women of the Aluminum Co. wait in line to get an autograph from famous Canadian fighter pilot 'George "Buzz" Beurling'. Helen Fowler is the lucky lady first in line.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

After a hard day in the factory there is nothing better than catching a few rays with friends. French-Canadian women at Dominion Arsenals (Personal Note: I adore this image).

1940s vintage photo of 3 women taking a break after working in the factory. They are catching some sun in 1940s swimsuits and 1940s summer fashions. Cute 1940s hairstyles.

Source: Collections Canada

Hope you enjoyed the images of our hard-working Canadian ladies of the 1940’s. Thank you for your service!

If you would like to see more images of our Canadian women during WW2, check out my Part 2 post HERE.

Liz

The Canadian “Rosie the Riveter”-Veronica Foster, The Bren Gun Girl

While browsing thru this cool dance book I own (and blogged about before, called “Let’s Dance: A Celebration of  Ontario’s Dance Halls” my friend stumbled up a  picture of a girl dancing jitterbug and the caption said she was the “Bren Gun Girl“. My friend turned to me and said “Who is a Bren Gun Girl?” I replied with a “I don’t know” and quickly ran to the internet for answers and what I found was pretty cool!

The Canadian "Rosie The Riverter"-Veronica Foster

The Canadian “Rosie the Riveter”Veronica Foster

Who was the Bren Gun Girl?

The Bren Gun Girl according to Wikipedia was a young woman named “Veronica Foster” who became a Canadian icon representing nearly one million Canadian women who worked in the manufacturing plants that produced munitions and material during World War II. She was popularly known as “Ronnie, the Bren Gun Girl” and worked for the company John Inglis Co.Ltd producing Bren light machine guns on a production line on Strachan Avenue in Toronto, Ontario (Where I live! And now called “Liberty Village”). She became popular after a series of propaganda posters were produced; most images featured her working for the war effort, but others depicted more casual settings like Foster dancing the jitterbug  (just like the image we found in my book) or attending a dinner party.

She can be seen as the Canadian precursor to the American fictional propaganda tool Rosie the Riveter (Source-Wikipedia).

Veronica Foster-The Canadian Rosie the Riveter aka "The Bren Gun Girl". Posing for a photo with a bren gun while smoking.
Source: Wikipedia

Image comment: I find it interesting that she is smoking in this picture. I know in the TV Show Bomb Girls that would not be allowed but maybe it is because she is posing with a gun and not a bomb 🙂

Note from Laura-Veronica’s Daughter:

Just to clarify a small fact… my mother never smoked. The photographer wanted her to smoke because I guess it was considered sexy in those days and smoking was supposed to be the socially acceptable cool in those days. Up until a few years ago you could smoke anywhere you wanted at any time. But… my mother never smoked… just for the “Ronnie” photos.

Now for some more pictures of our Canadian Rosie the Riveter

Inspecting a lathe at the John Inglis Co. Bren gun plant.

Veronica Foster-The Canadian Rosie the Riveter aka "The Bren Gun Girl". Veronica in her 1940s Homefront fashion is working on a machine.
Source: Library and Archives Canada

Demonstrating the use of a kerchief to protect the hair of female employees from being caught in machinery.

Veronica Foster-The Canadian Rosie the Riveter aka "The Bren Gun Girl". Veronica is tying her 1940s Headscarf before going to work on the homefront in a factory.
Source: Library and Archives Canada

Playing Baseball. The site of the photo is in what is now Liberty Village in Toronto.

Veronica Foster-The Canadian Rosie the Riveter aka "The Bren Gun Girl". Photo features Veronica playing baseball in Toronto.
Source: Preserved Stories

Our Bren Gun Girl getting her photo taken for work. She was a petite woman.

Veronica Foster-The Canadian Rosie the Riveter aka "The Bren Gun Girl". PHoto features Veronica getting a photo taken
Source: Preserved Stories

Preparing to go to a party at the Glen Eagle Country Club. What a fantastic 1940s hat!

Veronica Foster-The Canadian Rosie the Riveter aka "The Bren Gun Girl". 1940s Photo features Veronica is beautiful 1940s Fashion for a night out on the town.
Source: Library and Archives Canada
Veronica Foster-The Canadian Rosie the Riveter. 1940s Photo features Veronica is beautiful 1940s Fashion for a night out on the town.  Super 1940s Hat
Source: Library and Archives Canada

Jitterbugging with plant foreman Bill Ward during a party at the Glen.

Veronica Foster-The Canadian Rosie the Riveter. 1940s Photo features Veronica in a 1940s dress dancing (doing the jitterbug / Lindy hop) at a party.
Source: Library and Archives Canada

Love the shot of her dress in this image and the dance pose as well!

Veronica Foster-The Canadian Rosie the Riveter. 1940s Photo features Veronica in a 1940s dress dancing (doing the jitterbug / Lindy hop) at a party.

Veronica Foster the Big Band Singer:

1940s vintage photo of Veronica Foster the Canadian Bren Gun Girl and also 1940s Big Band Singer.

Veronica was also a singer of repute in Canada. She sang & toured with Mart Kenney and his Western Gentlemen from 1943-1944 and then met her furture husband, trombonist George M. Guerrette (they would go on to have 5 children). She also sang with Ellis McLintock’s Orchestra as well as the Bobby Gimby Orchestra.

Here are some fantastic photos courtesy of Veronica’s daughter Laura of her mother performing in the 1940s (Oh my goodness her 1940s dress is just stunning!).

1940s Vintage photo of Canadian Veronica Foster performing with an orchestra in 1940s dress.
1940s Vintage photo of Canadian Veronica Foster performing with an orchestra in 1940s dress.

And now my personal favourite news clipping that features Veronica Foster & Swing Dancers who were jumping and jiving at Maple Leaf Gardens, thanks in part to Miss Foster who sang with one of the orchestras (Bobby Gimby I believe).

1940s newspaper article featuring images of 1940s teenagers and adults swing dancing and admiring Veronica Foster the singer.

I actually featured an image in a past blog post called “Vintage Photo Tuesday: The Social Dance” that you can see below.

It’s the Simpson’s Teen-Town Time dance at Maple Leaf Gardens (1940’s) featuring Bobby Gimby (Toronto Orchestra Leader), Art Hallman (popular Canadian Tenor) and Ken Watts.

1940's Simpsons Sears Teen Town Time Dance at Maple Leaf Gardens
Source: Toronto Archives

Want to learn more about Veronica Foster?

Here is a video on Ronnie the Bren Gun Girl done by CBC a few years ago. This video was pointed out to me by one of her daughters Laura. HERE IS THE LINK TO THE VIDEO (playback on my blog was removed by the owner of the video so you have to click on the link to see it)

AND…I was just told from Ronnie’s daughter about a Postage Stamp from Canada Post in honour of VE Day 2020 (75th Anniversary). THIS IS AWESOME!!!

Veronica Foster -Ronnie the Bren Gun Girl Canada Post Stamp.

And check out this 2016 Blog Post with another story about Ronnie..HERE.

To end this post I want to leave you with this great video to watch on our “Rosies of the North” Click Here

FURTHER READING:

Liz 🙂