Canary girls

For the play "Canary Girls", see Mikron Theatre Company.

The canary girls were the United Kingdom's female trinitrotoluene (TNT) shell makers of World War I (1914–1918). The nickname arose because exposure to TNT is toxic, and repeated exposure can turn the skin an orange-yellow colour reminiscent of the plumage of a bird, the canary (which itself was used by miners to detect toxic carbon monoxide in coal mines.)[1] The canary girls were also referred to by the nickname "munitionettes".

Women workers with shells in Chilwell filling factory 1917 IWM Q 30040

Historical context

Since most men were joining the military, women were required to fill factory jobs formerly occupied by men. The United Kingdom used slogans like 'National Service' or 'Women's Land Army' to encourage young women to join the work force. Factory conditions were often hazardous, and the women worked long hours for low pay. In addition to the skin discolouration, they also reported nausea and skin irritations. As a result, factories began improving ventilation and providing masks.[2]

See also

Further reading

References

  1. Rosser, Sue (2008). Women, science, and myth. ABC-CLIO. p. 502.
  2. BBC "WARTIME FACTORY DISASTER", January 2005.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, March 06, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.