These truly inspirational women told tales of women from different backgrounds, who left their homes in Scotland to travel to Canada in the 1940s to start a new life in truly exceptional circumstances. From land girls to city women travelling thousands of miles to a different way of life for love, family, experiences. All the stories are completely unique and utterly captivating. Melynda’s passion and enthusiasm in championing these women is inspiring, and the fondness and care between Melynda and Mrs Boone is so apparent that it really warms the heart.

One story that really tickled me was of a land army lass who’s father had thought that her working the farm land would keep her out of “trouble” the sort that he envisaged she’d be getting in to had she joined the wren’s. When working the farm one day she was struggling with a large wheel barrow of manure up a ramp and fell face first into it, much to the amusement of two officers who happened to be passing. They ended up helping her out of this sticky situation and this chance meeting with one of the officers led to love and the woman moving to Canada, much to the surprise of her father!

The title of this event is fitting in so many ways, not only the title of Melynda’s newest book, but this is also what happens when you hear Melynda and Mrs Boone talking about their experiences and the experience of the thousands of warbride women in Canada – it really does Capture your Heart.

We will be holding more Women Make History workshops and events, so keep an eye on our events calendar for more information.

Captured Hearts by Melynda Jarratt

Melynda Jarratt and Zoe Boone return to Glasgow to tell us more about the experiences of British and European women caught up in the dramatic reality of war who fell in love with and married soldiers from a foreign country. When the war ends, they leave behind all they’ve ever known — family, friends, and way of life — for a new life in Canada. Arriving in a mainly rural country, these city girls faced culture shock, and social, religious and linguistic differences that would have tested the mettle of many relationships.

More than sixty years later, their stories paint a compelling portrait of love, passion, perseverance, and hope in a world torn apart by war.

Join us for readings from the author, alongside short exerts from “The Forgotten Brides” documentary and the chance to hear from Mrs Boone, a real life war bride. Copies of the book will be available to purchase at the event and have signed.

Thursday 26 May, 6pm to 7.30pm

To register for this event please complete the quick booking form below. If you don’t have a GWL number you can join the Library using the form here.

This event is free to attend. Click here for more information on our new streamlined booking system and to join the library.

Melynda Jarratt is a leading authority on Canadian War Brides of World War Two. She was born in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada. Melynda obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton in 1986 and wrote her Masters Thesis in History in 1995 on New Brunswick War Brides. She went on to obtain a diploma in Digital Media and Design in 1999. Melynda is the co-author of Voices of the Left Behind (Dundurn 2005) which was a Book of the Month Club selection. In 2007 she wrote War Brides: The stories of the women who left everything behind to follow the men they loved (Tempus 2007 / re-released by Canada’s Dundurn Press in May 2009). In October 2008 Goose Lane Editions released her latest book, Captured Hearts: New Brunswick’s War Brides as part of UNB’s Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society NB Military Heritage Series. Melynda runs the authoritative website on Canada’s War Brides www. CanadianWarBrides.com and appears frequently in the media, on television, radio and film as a subject matter expert. She is currently writing a biography of Don Chapman, the leader of the Lost Canadians – Canadian born citizens and foreign born children of Canadians, such as War Bride children, who were stripped of their citizenship due to outdated provisions of the 1947 Citizenship Act. She is also writing another book on the Canadian Forestry Corps in Scotland in World War Two for which she has received financial support from the New Brunswick Arts Board.

Mrs. Isobel Boone was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1922. She fell in love and married a Canadian serviceman, Cpl. Marshall Boone, of Rowena, New Brunswick (population 100). Marshall was taken Prisoner of War in Sicily and after he was liberated they married. Mrs. Boone moved to Canada in 1946 and his lived in Rowena ever since. She and Marshall had two children, Gordon and Stephen, and after her husband passed away she became involved with the New Brunswick War Brides Association, eventually holding the position of President. Mrs. Boone speaks frequently to groups and organizations about her experiences as a Canadian War Bride. She appears in Melynda Jarratt’s two books on War Brides as well as the documentary film “Forgotten Brides”.

Captured Hearts: New Brunswick’s War Brides
by Melynda Jarratt
Imagine you’re a young British or European woman caught up in the dramatic reality of war. You fall in love with and marry a soldier from a foreign country. When the war ends, you leave behind all you’ve ever known — family, friends, and way of life — for a new life in Canada. This is the story of nearly two thousand war brides who made their way to New Brunswick to join their servicemen husbands at the end of the Second World War.

Melynda will be bringing Mrs Boone with her to the library, a wonderful women and war bride, originally from Scotland who has been living in Canada for over 50 years and is willing to share her experiences and stories with Glasgow Women’s Library.

This free event is taking place on:
Friday, 24 July 2009 at 2pm

For bookings and more information: please call 0141 552 8345 or contact Laura at the Library.

This event is running as part of the Women Make History project.