Brampton, Ontario as a Window on Life in Canada during World War One

Our history lessons about the Great War focus on life in trenches, poison gas, battles and the bravery of our troops overseas. But what was life like for those at home in Canada?  Based on stories told to her by her great aunt and research conducted in the local archives, Lynne Golding will speak to us about recruitment efforts; the shortages of food and farm labour; the conversion of factories and business for the production of war materials; the development of flight schools; the treatment in Canada of those of Austrian heritage; the endless fundraising and knitting efforts; the creation of military convalescent hospitals; and the onset of Spanish flu.

BIOGRAPHY:

Bestselling and award-winning author Lynne Golding is the author of the historical fiction series, “Beneath the Alders.” A graduate of the University of Toronto and Queen’s University, she is a senior partner at the international law firm Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP where she co-leads their health law practice group.  Lynne lives in Brampton, Ontario, and has three grown children. Beneath the Alders is inspired by stories told to Golding by her great aunt, Jessie Roberts Current, born in Brampton, Ontario in 1903. Those stories, supplemented by extensive research led to the creation of three novels about life in small-town Canada: The Innocent(1907 – July 1914); The Beleaguered (1914 – 1918) and The Mending (1918 – 931).