Lucy Maud's Island by F.W.P. Bolger The occasion of the following address was the Annual Meeting of the Belfast Historical Society, held at the Belfast Consolidated School on November 26, 1976. The large crowd in attendance was treated to a very special combination of talents — the Island's most popular public speaker and historian, F.W.P. Bolger, talking about the Is- land's most famous and beloved author, Lucy Maud Montgomery. Professor Bolger was intro- duced by Mary Ross and thanked by Dan Compton. The lecture was tape recorded and transcribed as follows: Mir . Chairman; members of the Belfast Historical Society: it is indeed a pleasure for me to be here this evening. 1 can guarantee you one thing: when I am invited to come there will be a storm. Not a personal storm, I think, that I create But I was here the latter part of April to address the Lion's Club and we had a vicious storm; the roads were desperate; we were almost here for the night. This afternoon when I looked outside as I was getting ready to go to Mr. Baglole and his wife's for a very lovely supper — and you should all try to get invited there, it's just delightful — I said, oh, storm again! First of all, before I begin my remarks on Lucy Maud Montgomery, I would just like to say how pleased I am to be invited to speak to the Belfast Historical Society because, as your President has pointed out, this Society and any others — and there are so few others like it — are so very, very important for an appreciation and an understanding of the Island. We have, even in this small province, engaged in too much centrali- zation and consolidation, and it's nice to see the de-centralizing and de- consolidating which is happening once again. This Historical Society is certainly an example of it; and as your President said, I can think of no part of the Island where the history is more full of memorable events than this area, ex- tending from here throughout the coun- tryside to Orwell and beyond. I con- gratulate those of you who were instru- mental in establishing the Society, and I wish you every success in the future. I am going to speak this evening of a Kitchen of the Macneill home, Cavendish. very important Island personage, a very important international personage, in- Edward Island entered Confederation, Macneill, has always been, and remains, deed, I think Prince Edward Island's he became one of the province's first a subject of passionate controversy. She most distinguished personage, namely, senators and maintained that position herself admits that life was not easy for Lucy Maud Montgomery. until his death in 1893, a legislative her in Cavendish. It was almost bound Lucy Maud Montgomery was bom on record perhaps unparalleled in the to be this way because she, a little November 30, 1874, in the picturesque political annals of Canada. two-year-old girl, was suddenly thrust little village of Clifton — now called New Her mother, Clara Woolner Macneill, upon grandparents approaching their London — in a small attractive cottage was not a healthy woman and shortly sixties, with their own children already which still stands relatively unchanged after Lucy Maud's birth she developed grown up. Lucy Maud tells us in her on the same location. She was the tuberculosis, which at that time was fatal diary that her grandfather Macneill was daughter of Hugh John Montgomery to so many people. Her disease became a stem, domineering and irritable man, and Clara Woolner Macneill. so debilitating that it was necessary for a man who continually bruised her She came from a distinguished her husband to move his wife and childish feelings, and constantly inflicted lineage. Both the Montgomerys and the young child to Cavendish to stay with humiliation on her childish pride. Her Macneills were among the earliest her parents, Alexander and Lucy grandmother Macneill was kind to her in settlers on Prince Edward Island, the Woolner Macneill. Here on September a material way — Lucy Maud was Macneills having moved into the 14, 1876, when little Lucy Maud was always well-cared-for, well-fed, and Cavendish area in 1790 and the just over 21 months old, her mother well-dressed — yet there was an ir- Montgomerys into the Malpeque-Park died. reconcilable conflict between them. Comer area in 1775. Then the decision had to be made — Lucy Maud was a warm-hearted, impul- Like Mr. Dan Compton here with us what was going to be done with this little sive, emotional girl, and her grand- tonight, many of the Montgomerys and girl? Her father, discouraged after hav- mother, a cold, reserved woman, nar- Macneills were politicians. Her maternal ing lost his wife — and his business, a row in her affections and sensibilities. great-grandfather, William Macneill, was store-business, not going very well in As a result, L.M. Montgomery formed a member of the House of Assembly New London — decided that he would three loves, and these became the from 1814 to 1834. The last four years 'leave Lucy Maud with her maternal distinguishing characteristics of her life. he was Speaker and was known as grandparents, and he departed to begin First of all, she developed a love of "William the Speaker" — or, some- a new life in Saskatchewan. And so it nature; secondly, a love of books; and times, as "Old Speaker Macneill." The • was that the very fateful decision was thirdly, a love of expressing herself in Montgomerys were also distinguished made whereby L.M. Montgomery writing. And through these three, she politically. Her paternal great- would grow up in Cavendish with her began to chart a course in life that set grandfather, Donald Montgomery, had grandparents. Lucy Maud was to say her almost worlds apart from her been a member of the House Of many years later: "Were it not for those grandparents. Assembly for 35 years. Her grandfather, Cavendish years, I do not think Anne of We shall not detail the early years of Donald Montgomery (Big Donald), had Green Gables would ever have been her childhood, other than to say that she a political career stretching over some written." Millions of readers owe Hugh attended school at Cavendish — a 55 years — from 1838 to 1862 as a John Montgomery an eternal debt of white-washed, low-eaved building in a member of the House of Assembly, gratitude. spruce grove on the other side of the from 1863 to 1874 as a member of the The relationship with her grand- road from her grandfather's gate — until Legislative Council, and, after Prince parents, Alexander and Lucy Woolner she reached Grade Nine. At the end of'; Grade Nine she decided that she would a letter to one of her close friends in lege, passed those examinations, and in like to live, if she could, with her father. Cavendish, Penzie Macneill, she elabor- 1893 entered college. After spending a He had now moved to Prince Albert, ated upon her desire to return home: "I year there, and having taken the requi- Saskatchewan, and had remarried. His tell you Pen if you know when you are site courses leading to her teacher's new wife was a girl from Cannington, well off you will stick to dear old license, she began a teaching career in Ontario, some 20 years his junior — a Cavendish. I've seen a good many Prince Edward Island. lovely girl really — Mary Ann McRae. places since I left home and I tell you I Her first year she taught in Bideford After their marriage, Lucy Maud made haven't seen one prettier or nicer than — also called Ellerslie — quite near the repeated requests to move to Prince Cavendish, and the day on which I set famous Yeo, Ellis, and Richards ship- Albert. A desire to be with her father, foot in it once more will be the happiest yards. At the end of that first year of the hope for improved educational one of my life." She added: "And, I bet teaching she returned to school, this facilities, and a welcome break from the you once I get there I stay there." In time going to Dalhousie University to strict atmosphere imposed by her de- addition, she did not have a very happy pursue her studies in English. After one manding and aging grandparents in relationship with her stepmother who year there she came back to the Island, Cavendish, motivated her desire to seemed determined to make the young and during the year 1896-1897 taught make her home in Saskatchewan. Her Lucy Maud a veritable slave in the in Belmont, Lot 16, and in the following father responded affirmatively, and so, household. Well this, of course, was year, 1897-1898, she taught in Lower when she was not quite 16, she went to rather discouraging for her father be- Bedeque. Prince Albert — she preceded, of cause he thought that his daughter This was a rather eventful year in her course, John Diefenbaker — to begin a would like to continue living with him life, the year 1897-1898, for two new life, she thought permanently, in and he loved her very much. But at the reasons. Firstly, she fell in love, really for Saskatchewan. end of one year, due to her constant the first time. And secondly, her grand- She spent only one year there. pleadings, he allowed her to return to father died. The falling in love, I think, Despite her deep attachment to her Cavendish, where she began her life was probably the more serious.