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Women Editor s-in-Chief. Mrs. B. S. McCool, Toronto, for some 235 years editor-in-chief of W. J. Gage and Company, publishers, was Franklin Founds Postal System. Women have outstanding roles the first woman to hold such a position in Canada. Then, in 1957, in 's history. When defeated French Army surrendered Helen O'Reilly became chief Canadian editor for Longman's to British, 1760, keys of city were handed the victor by a woman. Green and Company. She says: "At the convent, we were taught established Canada's postal system, in 1763. to think quickly and clearly on paper." She graduated in poli- for King George III at Montreal (pop. about 8,000) at tical science from , then did free-lance (pop. 16,000) and, at Three Rivers. publicity, writing and editing. Wallpaper Treasure. Franklin returned to Montreal in March, Woman Newspaper Director. Ruth (Mrs. H. C.) Hindmarsh, 1776, accompanied by Fleury Mesplet (French printer) and Ma- daughter of the founder of the Toronto Star and Star Weekly, dame Mesplet. Printing presses were banned throughout French Joseph Atkinson, and wife of the world-famous editor, H. C. Hind- regime. The men planned to print pamphlets inciting populace marsh, since his death has been a director of the company. to join American Rebels. En route, during a bad storm at sea, Women writers of Canada use their talent in delineation, precious paper and clothes were washed overboard. Mesplet interpretation, portraiture, and inspiration to make a contrihu* managed to salvage his hand-powered press, type, and rolls of tion to creative writing which adds greatly to Canada's literary wall paper from the St. Lawrence. heritage at home and her cultural prestige abroad. More misfortune. Mesplet set up a small printing shop on la rue Capitale. As both he and his foreign money were regarded with AUTHORS suspicion, when British recaptured Montreal from the Rebels he was thrown into jail. Penniless, but resourceful, Madame Mes- "Words are the only things that live forever." plet promised to print a devotional book on wall paper for St. (Sir Winston Churchill) Sulpice Order, printing on the white side, flowered side for covers. Queen of Bluestockings. "Genius will never mount high where Illustrations were from wood blocks that she drew and carved. faculties of the mind are benumbed half the year," Frances Brooke Released from jail, Fleury helped finish the book now in Toronto complained bitterly, driving about Quebec swathed in sables. Library. Going to Quebec City (1763) with chaplain husband, she found Mesplet Founds Gazette. Fleury founded Gazette Printing Com- people congenial, climate congealing. pany (1776), published first hymns printed in Canada, Le Can- In England, before marriage, Frances edited a magazine tique ; in 1778. Working by candlelight, June 3, 1778, The Old Maid. Intimates, Fanny Burney, Oliver Goldsmith, David published in French first issue of The Gazette, Montreal's first Garrick, Samuel Johnson, called her "Queen of the Bluestock- newspaper! From 1785, Gazette was bilingual. ings". Song — When the Rosy Morn Appearing is from her play Canadian Jane Austen. Rosana Mullins, Montreal, later Mrs. J. L. Rosina. Leprohon a literary prodigy, at fourteen wrote for Literary Gar- Frances Brooke, first woman in Canada to write a novel, land, at sixteen published novel, Ida Beresford. Her nine novels The History of Emily Montague, described Canadian scene, pub- helped foster Anglo-French understanding. lished England, 1769, republished McClelland and Stewart, 1961. Literary "Ladies'''. Lady Edgar wrote Ten Years of Upper Canada Convents and Hospitals . . . understandably were favourite sub- in Peace and War, Kathleen and Robina Lizars co-authored two jects of early factual books. Inadvertantly, Marie de 1'Incarnation books Humours of ''37 and Days of the Canada Company and became an author. Her son published letters, 1677, valuable Alice Mackay The Honourable Company. Agnes Machar wrote historically. Francoise Juchereau de St. Ignace published L' a dozen novels ; prolific Mary Ann Sadlier wrote over fifty books, Histoire de I'Hotel Dieu, 1751. Julia Catherine Beckwith Hart, romances of Irish immigrants ; in 1877 Felicite Angers was first aged sixteen, was first woman to have a book written and pub- French-Canadian woman to write a novel, Un Amour Vrai. Lady lished in Canada, St. Ursula's Convent, published 1824, Kingston. Macdonald (wife of Canada's first Prime Minister) wrote By Car Upper Canada, by Hugh C. Thomson. Fredericton, New Bruns- and Cow-Catcher, On a Canadian Salmon River, and On a Tobag- wick has plaque of commemoration. gan. Marjorie and John Mackenzie collaborated on a Modern series, Quebec, (Ontario, The Maritimes etc.) in Your Car.