I've always loved this photo. "Women workers employed as wipers in the roundhouse having lunch in their rest room, C. & N.W. R.R., Clinton, Iowa " depicts women working for the railroad in 1943. The color and image are as vivid as if it was yesterday.
The photo depicts these women enjoying a lunch break. You get a sense of their work life by studying their clothes, lunch, and lunch boxes. Their uniform includes overalls, hair coverings, and eye protection. These are part of the tools of their trade.
Flickr the Commons, https://flic.kr/p/4jv942
One of my paternal great-grandmothers worked as a restaurant cook. She always wore a uniform consisting of a white dress, comfortable white shoes, and an apron. That's how I remember her. Writing about her work life, I can include that uniform and why she would have worn it. I may not have her work records but I can piece together her work-life from home sources, genealogical records, and details like what she wore.
What did your female ancestor do outside of the home? What was her uniform?
No comments:
Post a Comment