A collection of travel narratives abroad and at home
Perhaps it's just me or others can relate, but I'm a very contemplative traveler. By this I mean breaking away from the tourist label and taking a moment to be there. Take time to observe and live a familiar life in an unfamiliar setting. Simply put, I cannot miss my October autumn walks, no matter…
Death was all around me in Boston as I stumbled along Tremont St.'s narrow red strip. No one died of course, and it wasn't because I was barely functioning on one hour's sleep. It was hundreds of souls who have passed on decades before me, lying beneath my feet. My friends and I began our…
Four years ago, my gravitation to traveling emanated while I was just an exchange student. Being first travel piece on this blog, it is only fitting that I start where it all began: Leeds. For those of you like me who desire to explore a new country or city, and really get to know…
Leisure time was a luxury when you had to work eight-hour shifts on your feet per day. Even weekends would be often spent catching up on some sleep or doing your laundry. On occasion, the Ajax D.I.L. workers had some leisure time and perhaps the energy, and would enjoy a dance or a…
Continue reading ➞ Big Bands and Baseball: The Good Old Days at the D.I.L. Recreation Centre
When you think of Ajax's history you think factory, bombs, warship, wartime homes and fish? During the postwar period, fishing for smelt was one of the most popular pastimes, and there were hundreds of them! Many of those who grew up in Ajax between the 1950s to the 70s remember going to the lake in…
Continue reading ➞ Something fishy used to go on down by the lake…
I decided to try out Google My Maps to create a miniature Ajax Timescapes. This consists of notable DIL-era buildings, memorable shops and schools, and buildings and spots which still exist today, and residents remember fondly. A big part of remembering places in Ajax is imagining the community back then through a geographical perspective. Maps…
Summer picture of Veteran's Point Gardens, built to commemorate the legacies of HMS Ajax and Defence Industries Limited. Located at the Waterfront, south of Harwood Ave., the Gardens' ship-like architecture is no coincidence (notice how the street lights look like masts). For More Information
The video below is exclusive footage of Defence Industries Limited, provided by YouTube as well as the official Town of Ajax website (www.ajax.ca). The video explains how Ajax ultimately became the ideal spot for DIL to operate, and an overview of the experience of its workers, who were predominately women. As you watch this video,…
As I am currently based in Ottawa for my research, this blog will sometimes consist of assignments, pictures, or just instructive thoughts about my current city. Ottawa is also filled with many lieux de memoires to explore! This post is an assignment for my Public History course, in which I have to imagine myself as…
Continue reading ➞ On Methodology: Ottawa’s Central Experimental Farm
Material culture can tell complex stories about a person or community's history. Below is an object that gives a window to the history of Ajax and Defence Industries Limited. A daily routine for Ajax Bomb Girls was filling cordite shells, a task which was often dangerous and laborious. It is crucial to remember the relationship…
