by Joanna Dermenjian | Apr 8, 2022 | History, Labels, Podcasts, Research
What’s in a name? What’s in a phrase? Research evolves. When little has been written of a topic, and present day researchers are dependent on the clues that are found in disparate primary sources and buried in archives across a vast country, as well as...
by Joanna Dermenjian | Apr 4, 2022 | History, Research
I have to admit, sometimes research is a slog. It can often be lonely and frustrating and feel very fruitless. And then, suddenly, a wonderful detail appears that lifts the spirits and excites the passions to keep on digging. Last week, I was...
by Joanna Dermenjian | Jan 24, 2022 | History, Podcasts
In 1944, a baby was snatched from a crib just moments before a bomb explosion shattered the window beside her. In the nearby refugee centre where the family fled because their home was no longer habitable, a quilt was given to the family. The tag on the quilt said...
by Joanna Dermenjian | Jan 22, 2022 | History
As I research Canadian women’s lives on the homefront during WWII, I am conscious of the words that were used to inspire, encourage, and sell to them. These three ads from Chatelaine magazine in 1942 are great examples. “I pledge myself to guard every bit of Beauty...
by Joanna Dermenjian | Jan 21, 2022 | History
Alas, Jim sent a telegram, but did not say ‘Love, Jim’ – just signed off ‘Jim’. What could this possibly mean? According to this advertisement in the April 1940 issue of the Canadian Home Journal, “Men grow neglectful when wives grow careless”. In this case, Betty...
