A Lifetime - Day by Day: Five Women and Their Diaries

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Marty Hastie and Beatrice Edgar had a lot to say about their friends, school, and leisure activities. The difference in their age and social circumstance probably accounts for Marty’s emphasis on school and Beatrice’s focus on socialising and sports. Teenagers today still do these things but perhaps not with the same formality conveyed by these young women from the 19th century.

Photo: Four young women on a porch, [ca. 1900]

Four young women on a porch,[ca. 1900]
Frank Wright fonds
Reference Code: C 171-1-0-0-5
Archives of Ontario, I0014407

Photo: Teachers and children posing outside a schoolhouse, January 25, 1906

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Teachers and children posing outside a
schoolhouse, January 25, 1906
Marsden Kemp fonds
Reference Code: C 130-6-0-8-1
Archives of Ontario, I0013556

“I have heard so many say that our school-days are the very best time of our life …”

Although a diligent student, Marty was also mischievous in and out of school. She spent her spare time drawing, making crafts, and playing with her friends from school.

Page with Sketch from Marty Hastie’s diary, 1884 (01)

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Page with Sketch from Marty Hastie’s diary, 1884
William Mack family fonds
Reference Code: F 40 Series C, MU 3300
Archives of Ontario

Page with Sketch from Marty Hastie’s diary, 1884 (02)

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Page with Sketch from Marty Hastie’s diary, 1884
William Mack family fonds
Reference Code: F 40 Series C, MU 3300
Archives of Ontario

“The above gentleman is my teacher Mr. Nugent. I drew it in school, and coppied it on Papa’s copying pad into my diary & on 5 or 6 letters & on 6 pieces of paper for the girls at school. They all say it is exactly like him.” … “Miss Milligan prophesies that Mr. Nugent will get hold of it some way or other, as he is so smart & quick. But every one I give it to have promised not to let him see it.”

Hastie, March 11, 1884

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click on one of the following audio files:
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mp3 format (498K).

“I have heard so many say that our school-days are the very best time of our life & I think it is very true for I will hate when I have to stop going to school. I have always liked going to school so much.”

Hastie, November 29, 1883

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Page with Sketch from Marty Hastie’s diary, 1884
William Mack family fonds
Reference Code: F 40 Series C, MU 3300
Archives of Ontario

Page with Sketch from Marty Hastie’s diary, 1884 (03)

“I went [to the fair] in the evening with Lillie McLellan & Ida Watson, & Dougie. I had splendid fun. We were pinning papers on some of the boys. We had Mr. Lee’s [teacher] back just covered & he did not notice it for a long time. When we found him again they were off.”

Hastie, October 5, 1883

To hear an audio clip from one of the diaries, click on one of the following audio files:
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Photo: School children crowding the blackboard at recess, [ca. 1917]

School children crowding the blackboard at recess,[ca. 1917]
John Boyd fonds
Reference Code: C 7-3, 14191
Archives of Ontario, I0020969

Detail showing school furniture by W. Stahlschidt of Preston, from the
Atlas of the Province of Ontario, Counties Miles & Co. Toronto 1879. P-59

After her mother’s death in December 1883, Marty’s attitude to school became more serious.

Beatrice played several outdoor sports and had a full schedule of parties, important social events, and small gatherings. She kept lists of the people she met and took some interest in the events of parliament. Although she did not attend a formal school she took special classes organised by the Governor General’s wife.

“… & his little dog laughed to see such sport, & so did we all.”

“This morning M. [cousin Maud] and I put on our skiis & tramped about these grounds finding nice little hills in places. One especially good near the Western block & we amused ourselves there for some time. The sergeant-at-arms passing with his dog saw me in distress unable to get up, & gallantly came to the rescue. But as he had no skiis on & the snow was very deep, he sunk over his knees in it, & when he tried to help me out he tumbled down himself, & his little dog laughed to see such sport, & so did we all.”

Edgar, February 8, 1898

Photo: Beatrice with Lady Edgar and Marjorie Edgar, [ca. 1880]

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Beatrice with Lady Edgar and Marjorie Edgar, [ca. 1880]
James Edgar family fonds
Reference Code: F 65
Archives of Ontario, I0028039

Woman skiing, [ca. 1910]
M. O. Hammond fonds
Reference Code: ,F 1075-13,H 393
Archives of Ontario, I0000917

“At 20 minutes to 11, after most of our guests had gone, Mamma, Maud & I … went up to the Gallery & we heard the funniest speech of the session from old Mr. Morin, who in the end finished up with a French peroration in which he called papa “Votre Magestie”. He was always out of order. We stayed up in the Gallery until 12:30.”

Edgar, March 3, 1898
Sir Wilfred Laurier, Prime Minister

Her Excellency and the Cooking Class

“Lena Thompson telephoned yesterday from Gov. House asking us if we would join a cooking class, which Her Excellency is getting up. …”

Edgar, February 25, 1898

“I went to the first cooking class. … Lena & I were made to light the fire, which has to be done in a more scientific way than we had ever imagined....”

Edgar, March 1, 1898

Portrait of Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1841-1919),
Prime Minister of Canada, 1896-1911
Reference Code: S 266
Archives of Ontario, I0014659

To hear an audio clip from one of the diaries, click on one of the following audio files:
wav format (1.4MB) | aif format (1.4MB) | mp3 format (1.0MB).

Their Excellencies, Lord and Lady Aberdeen - The Governor General and his wife

Photo: Sir Casimir and Lady Gzowski with Lord and Lady Aberdeen and Group by Topley, 1897

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Sir Casimir and Lady Gzowski with Lord and Lady Aberdeen and Group by Topley, 1897
C. S. Gzowski fonds
Reference Code: F 1044-3-0-0-14
Archives of Ontario, I0028035

Marty's School Days

Beatrice's Life in Ottawa

Good Sport

The Ottawa Scene