Working on quilts to commemorate local efforts during the Second World War has taught members of the Twilight Quilters’ Guild a great deal about the sacrifice and service of Norfolk residents.
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“When we were working on the Victory quilt, embroidering the names of those who died into the quilt, what really struck me was that they were so young,” said guild member Diane Luke. “Some of us have children or grandchildren who are that age and they’re heading off to college and university.
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“They’re not heading off to war.”
Luke was one of several members of the guild who have been working on two Second World War quilts. One commemorates the men who fought and died for freedom and the others honor the contributions of Norfolk County women in the war effort.
“This is the first project that I’ve been involved with where we really thought about and talked about what our mothers and grandmothers did during the Second World War,” Luke said. “I’m not sure that they have ever been given the credit they deserve.
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“They kept families together, helped businesses stay afloat, put together care packages to be sent overseas and worked in factories like American Can.”
Back in 1939 there were some 600 men working in American Can, a factory in Simcoe. But by 1942, with many of the men sent overseas to fight, 500 women worked in the factory manufacturing munitions as well as food and oil containers.
The two quilts were unveiled at a ceremony held Nov. 12 at the Waterford Heritage and Agricultural Museum. The event, which attracted a large crowd, was organized by the Norfolk Remembers Committee, which is dedicated to ensuring continued remembrance of those from Norfolk County who served in the First and Second World Wars.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee held an event to unveil two quilts commemorating those who served in the First World War.
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“This is one more project to help us and others to remember,” Heather King, a past chair of the committee, said.
Both quilts are 72-inches high and 69-inches wide.
“I was blown away by the detail they put into each stitch,” King said. “The Victory quilt is really emotional because it has the actual signatures of the men who served and died.
“The other quilt is three-dimensional so it’s vibrant and really captures the various roles of women during the war.”
The quilt commemorating Norfolk’s women is from an original design created by Robert Judd, a Norfolk Remembers committee member. It was completed by Luke, Brenda Bradshaw, Jan Grincevicius, Jill Jackson, Mary McKenzie, Patti Moore, Nancy Racz, Monica Thompkins, Sarah Yetman and Janice Youngson.
Plans call for the quilts to travel to various public spaces – libraries and museums – throughout the county to ensure everyone has an opportunity to view them.
To learn more about the Norfolk Remembers committee and its publications visit www. norfolkremembers.ca.
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