The Girl from 108, authored by Lorraine Clements, offers a captivating memoir that delves into the author’s formative years. Within its pages, Lorraine unfolds the trials and triumphs of her childhood in the 1950s and 60s, when her parents operated an Irish Catholic boarding house at 108 King Street in Charlottetown. Charlottetown serves as a backdrop for the experiences of transient labourers who found temporary refuge in shared rooms before establishing more permanent residences.
The memoir provides a rare glimpse into a time when the boarding house served as a haven for men navigating various job opportunities. Within its walls, a diverse cast of regular and colourful characters converged to unfold various experiences and stories. The Girl from 108, thus, offers readers a glimpse into the communal living dynamics that existed during this period in Charlottetown's history.
Lorraine Clements’s work to share and preserve lesser-known aspects of Island history through her book The Girl from 108 has earned her a Heritage Recognition Award.