Ruby Loftus: Iconic WWII image

Ruby Loftus was born in Llanhilleth and lived with her parents, Martha (nee Williams) and Harold, in Central Road, before moving to Finchley in London when her father got a job at Shellmex.

During the blitz the family returned to Newport and Ruby and her sisters went to work at the Royal Ordnance factory, in Corporation Road.

In January 1943, the Ministry of Information commissioned Laura Knight (later Dame) to paint Ruby at work, for propaganda purposes.

The painting of Ruby Loftus became an iconic image of the contribution that women were making to the war effort.

For details of Ruby’s amazing story, including a Newsreel item, follow the link –

https://shootingparrots.co.uk/2012/04/04/l-is-for-ruby-loftus

The image is copied with the approval of the Imperial War Museum, with the following Attribution Statement:

© IWM (Art.IWM ART LD 2850) and additional link:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/2143)