During the war, civilians played a critical role in building ships, aircraft, tanks and munitions needed at the front in Europe. As so many young men were serving overseas, women were recruited from all over Canada to fill manufacturing and munitions positions. By the end of the war, nearly a million women were working in these industries.
Small Arms Ltd. female worker standing beside equipment and examining a gun barrel Photographer: Pringle and Booth ca. 1943 City of Toronto Archives Series 8, File 306, Item 60
British Ambassador to the United States Lord Halifax, observing female war workers at John Inglis Co., Ltd. Photographer: Alexandra Studio January 24, 1944 City of Toronto Archives Series 1057, Item 2189
Bernice Colter sanding aircraft parts at De Havilland Canada plant Photographer: John Boyd jnr. January 21, 1943 City of Toronto Archives Fonds 1266, Item 83188
In and around Toronto, some of the companies were Small Arms Ltd., an arsenal munitions factory in Long Branch; De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd., located in Downsview; the General Engineering Company (Canada) Ltd., or GECO, of Scarborough; and John Inglis and Co., and Massey-Harris Ltd., both of which were situated in downtown Toronto.
Female Massey-Harris employees marching at event at Maple Leaf Gardens Photographer: Alexandra Studio ca. 1943 City of Toronto Archives Series 1057, Item 7418
Ceremony to celebrate the 100,000th Bren gun manufactured at John Inglis Co., Ltd. Photographer: Alexandra Studio August 20, 1943 City of Toronto Archives Series 1057, Item 2180
Male and female GECO workers on fuse assembly line Photographer: General Engineering Company (Canada) ca. 1942 City of Toronto Archives Series 1243, Subseries 5, File 3, Item 3
GECO Fusilier Magazine, vol. 4, no. 6 July 31, 1943 City of Toronto Archives Series 1243, Subseries 5, File 2, Item 7
Work on the assembly lines was repetitive, difficult, and often very dangerous. In the factories where shells, fuses and bombs were manufactured, safety was of paramount importance. Since high explosives and gunpowder were involved, anything that might cause a spark was banned. Female workers had to remove their hair pins and hold their hair back with bandanas. This attention to safety paid off. At the GECO munitions plant, a staff of 20,000 worked around the clock. During the three years the plant operated (1942-45) there was not a single fatal accident.
Female worker preparing fuses at the GECO plant Photographer: General Engineering Company (Canada) ca. 1942 City of Toronto Archives Series 1243, Subseries 5, File 3, Item 1
Distinguished visitors, the Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, with two female GECO workers Photographer: General Engineering Company (Canada) March 1944 City of Toronto Archives Series 1243, Subseries 5, File 3, Item 2
