Last night saw the return of two of our wonderful library friends, Melynda Jarratt and Mrs Zoe Boone. Having come all the way from Canada it was lovely to see them both again, as this is their third visit the the library – but first visit to our new space at The Mitchell. As always Melynda and Mrs Boone were wearing their Women Make History badges, and this time not only did they bring their usual warm and lovely energy to the space, they also bought along Mrs Boone’s newly found (thanks to a family history search aided in the early stages by our very own family history expert, Alison) sister and a lovely woman, Iona, the daughter of a Canadian warbride.
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.
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