Learning from novels

@JudyEv (323748)
Rockingham, Australia
May 18, 2022 7:58pm CST
I’ve just finished reading a book called The Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell. It’s about women in Sunderland, which is in the county of Tyne and Wear, England. During World War II, and to a lesser extent during World War I, women were employed in a number of roles that had once been the domain of men. The shipyards in Sunderland on the mouth of the River Wear was one area where women were called in to help the war effort. With most able-bodied men away fighting on the various fronts, women began doing the back-breaking and sometimes dangerous jobs that had once been done only by men. The history notes in the back of the book say that 700 women worked in the shipyards as welders, rivetters, crane-drivers; in fact, whatever needed doing, the women did it. At the time, Sunderland was touted as the ‘Biggest Shipbuilding Town in the World’ and produced a quarter of Britain’s merchant shipping at the time. Their output was vital to Britain’s war effort. Because of its importance, Sunderland also became one of the most heavily bombed towns of the war. Nowadays, there is less gender division in the trades but, at the time, these women were going into new territory. I enjoy books based on historical fact. The photo was taken by me in Youghal, Ireland. When the tide goes out, the boats are left high and dry.
10 people like this
10 responses
@RubyHawk (99437)
• Atlanta, Georgia
19 May 22
I like those books too. It was the same in the U. S. The men went off to-war and women took over the jobs at home. They did the jobs just like the men. Women can and will do what has to be done.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 22
It was an early example probably of showing the men that the women could do most things that the men could do.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 May 22
@RubyHawk They have indeed. There aren't too many jobs now where women are totally excluded.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99437)
• Atlanta, Georgia
19 May 22
@JudyEv It was and women have come a long way since then.
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (45331)
• India
19 May 22
So "The Shipyard Girls" is a fictional book? I think I can go for this book after some time. I heard the mention of Sunderland in a BBC series on WWII that I saw recently. Quite an interesting share!
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (45331)
• India
20 May 22
@JudyEv Still something that can be be read with interest!
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (45331)
• India
21 May 22
@JudyEv Yet a Netflix series on WWII is a great way of arousing interest in happenings and events related to WWII.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 22
Yes, it is fiction. The story isn't anything special but the facts about the war effort were interesting.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (455033)
• Switzerland
19 May 22
Interesting book, thank you for this review. I have seen boats out of water during the low tide in France.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (455033)
• Switzerland
21 May 22
@JudyEv - You are right, in some places the low tide can be really low.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 May 22
It looks strange to see them at high tide when they have such a long rope tying them to the wharf.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 May 22
That's a very interesting picture seeing the boats high and dry when the tide goes out. Also interesting hearing about the book you just finished and how women worked in the shipyards and learned the jobs that men had done. It's funny to think back to a time when only men did certain jobs and now it's become more common to see a woman doing those same jobs.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May 22
Jobs were certainly divided into those for men and those for women. Thankfully a lot of that has passed.
@Dena91 (15776)
• United States
19 May 22
I enjoy books based on historical facts too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 May 22
Some can be quite enlightening and very entertaining.
1 person likes this
@yoalldudes (35042)
• Philippines
19 May 22
I feel the same way about novels; I learn more about life from them than self help books. I hope we never get to experience what they have gone through, war is an abomination.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 22
The characters in the book go through many of life's problems and you do learn from them.
@yoalldudes (35042)
• Philippines
21 May 22
@JudyEv That is true.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (168439)
• United States
19 May 22
Gee, that is weird, I have never seen boats just sitting in the mud like that. The novel sounds interesting too. In WWII we had Rosie the Riveters.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 22
Same work I guess. The women really stepped up at the time, didn't they? Nowadays there isn't quite as much discrimination when it comes to careers.
@Morleyhunt (21602)
• Canada
19 May 22
One of my all time favourite novels is based on a true story. I read it as a teenager and have reread it many time. I still enjoy the book Mrs Mike, by Nancy and Benedict Freedman
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 22
I have a couple of books that I reread from time to time. I'll make a note of this one. Thanks.
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (17795)
• London, England
19 May 22
So different now, the ship yards are mostly gone
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 22
It said that at the back of the book but I forgot to put it in my text.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (153180)
• United States
19 May 22
Interesting photo. Thanks for the book review. I enjoy true stories as well.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323748)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 22
It was fictional but based on fact so I found it very interesting.
1 person likes this