The Forgotten “Canary Girls” Who Risked Their Lives On Britain’s Home Front
Munitions Production
1914-1918
Artist: Horace Nicholls
Date: July 1917
I have recently been finding out a bit about what life was like on the home front. It would be wrong not to mention the incredible women who worked in the dangerous industries to help the war effort. One group that really stood out to me were the so called “Canary Girls” of the First and Second World Wars. It made me realise just how much ordinary women sacrificed behind the scenes. Their work placed them in constant danger and it permanently affected their health and their appearance.
When the First World War broke out in 1914, Britain needed enormous amounts of shells, explosives, and ammunition. Millions of men had left civilian jobs to fight, so factories desperately needed workers. Women were encouraged to fill in these roles for the first time in huge numbers. Many came from working-class backgrounds and had worked as servants, cleaners, shop assistants, or textile workers. Some probably felt they needed to do their bit but for others they needed the wages to support their families. The wages in munitions factories were usually far better than the jobs they had previously been able to get, so women were drawn to the work.
One of the most dangerous jobs involved handling TNT, which was the chemical used in explosive shells. Women worked long hours filling the munitions by hand inside crowded factories that were often noisy, hot, and very poorly ventilated. Gradually the workers started to notice strange effects on their bodies. TNT exposure turned many women’s skin yellow and sometimes their hair took on a yellowish hue. Because of this, people began to call them the “Canary Girls.”
It is also believed that some Canary Girls may have even intentionally used chemicals from the factories to lighten or brighten their hair further, embracing the unusual “canary” appearance that came with the work.
The reality was frightening. TNT poisoning could cause headaches, dizziness, sickness, chest pains, liver damage, and severe fatigue. Some women became seriously unwell and others died from the exposure. Their yellow skin was a visible sign of the dangers that they faced. Some babies born to munitions workers were reportedly born with a slight yellow tint to their skin because of their mothers’ exposure to TNT during pregnancy. Although the discolouration usually faded over time, thankfully.
Explosives factories could also be catastrophic places. Accidents could sometimes cause devastating explosions and a large number of workers were killed. One of the worst disasters happened at the National Shell Filling Factory at Chilwell in 1918, where an explosion killed over a hundred workers.
Salisbury Munitions Factory
Date: 1943
During the Second World War, women were once again asked to return to the munitions factories. Although the safety standards had improved somewhat, the risks were still really high. But in spite of the dangers, many women carried on because they believed that their work was important, and it was. Their work helped keep the military supplied and they contributed enormously to Britain’s ability to continue fighting.
Munitions Production
Date: 1940
It is sad how easily these women have been forgotten compared to the soldiers at the front. The Canary Girls risked their lives daily in factories and many were permanently changed by it. I think they deserve to be remembered.
Munitons factory in Scarborough
Date: 1943
Do you think the sacrifices made by women working on the home front receive enough recognition today?
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