Deleted: Mary Pickford posing with a group of employees during her visit to the General Engineering Company (GECO)munitions factory in Scarborough, ON, June 5th, 1943. Image: Archives Ontario
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Original JPG File | 444 × 353 pixels (0.16 MP) 3.8 cm × 3 cm @ 300 PPI |
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Resource ID
8111
Access
Open
Credit Line
Archives Ontario
Date of Creation
1943
Keywords
WWII, Women's History, Industry, Golden Mile, munition, GECO, military history, women, Scarborough, Eglinton Avenue East, war history
Program Category
Tours
Rights
Public Domain
Caption
Mary Pickford posing with a group of employees during her visit to the General Engineering Company (GECO)munitions factory in Scarborough, ON, June 5th, 1943. Image: Archives Ontario
Description
When WWII struck the Canadian government purchased a large portion of farmland in Scarborough Ontario, along Eglinton Avenue East, for the construction of the GECO munitions plant. It was the perfect location because it was far enough from the city - a safety precaution in event of an explosion, and it was not too difficult to get to, making it suitable for shipping and receiving goods. The plant had an almost entirely female workforce, who were nicknamed the "Bomb Girls". After four years in operation, between 1941 and 1945, the plant had formed a close-knit community of hard working females within its walls, and had not one occurrence of an accidental explosion.