Edith Sarah Louisa Boulton (1847 – November 14, 1912) was a Canadian

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

and

imperialist Imperialism is the state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas, often through employing hard power (economic and ...

. The daughter of James Boulton, a barrister, and Margaret Neilina Fortye, she was born in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

. Her grandfather D’Arcy Boulton had been attorney-general for Upper Canada. In 1871, Boulton married Toronto businessman

Samuel Nordheimer Samuel Nordheimer (February 6, 1824 – June 29, 1912) was a prominent businessman and music promoter in 19th century Toronto. In part to build this business, Nordheimer became one of the most active promoters of music in Canada. He brought prom ...

; the couple had eight daughters and three sons. She contributed to various Toronto institutions including the Infants' Home, the Hillcrest Convalescent Hospital, the Ladies' Work Depository, the Working Boys' Home, the

Children's Aid Society Children's Aid, formerly the Children's Aid Society, is a private child welfare nonprofit in New York City founded in 1853 by Charles Loring Brace. With an annual budget of over $100 million, 45 citywide sites, and over 1,200 full-time employee ...

and St. James’ Cathedral. Boulton also served on the board of governors for the

Victorian Order of Nurses The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) has been leading home and community care in Canada for over a century. Today, VON provides home and community support services to over 10,000 people every day across Ontario and Nova Scotia. It is registered as a ...

, was president of the local

Red Cross Society The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the world's largest group of non-governmental organizations working on humanitarian aid, is composed of the following bodies: *The ''International Committee of the Red Cross'' (ICRC), a comm ...

and helped found the Female Immigrants Receiving Home. In 1904, she became vice-president of the Toronto South African Memorial Association. The

Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire The Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE) is a women's charitable organization based in Canada. It provides scholarships, bursaries, book prizes, and awards, and pursues other philanthropic and educational projects in various communities ac ...

(IODE) was established in Toronto in 1901 by a group of Ontario women with Boulton serving as its national president. The Federation of the Daughters of the Empire had been founded in Montreal the previous year but it was later decided to relocate the head office and change the name of the organization. The aim of the IODE was to promote closer ties between Canada and the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

. Boulton was a skilled organizer even if somewhat autocratic by nature; under her leadership the organization grew to 10,000 members with chapters across Canada and in the United States,

The Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = " Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , e ...

, the

Dominion of Newfoundland Newfoundland was a British dominion in eastern North America, today the modern Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was established on 26 September 1907, and confirmed by the Balfour Declaration of 1926 and the Statute of Westmi ...

and India. After dissatisfaction with a delegation sent to England to attend the coronation of

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...

, she resigned as president in 1911 but was named patroness of the order the following year. The couple lived in a 35-room mansion known as Glen Edyth, once considered "the finest private house in Toronto" but since demolished to allow the construction of new homes, which was located on a 25-acre estate. The current Glen Edyth Drive was originally a carriageway for the estate. She died in Toronto at the age of 65. She was named a Lady of Grace of the

Order of St John of Jerusalem The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

l. The children of Edith Boulton and Samuel Nordheimer were Stuart Fitzroy Boulton Nordheimer (b. 1872), Julia Melina Boulton Nordheimer (b. 1874), Samuel Max Boulton Nordheimer (b. 1876), Athol Gordon Boulton Nordheimer (b. 1877), Adeline Matilda Boulton Nordheimer (b. 1878), Edith Vera Boulton Nordheimer and Errol Louisa Boulton Nordheimer (b. 1879 - twins), Cecil Evelyn Boulton Nordheimer (b. 1881), May Estelle Boulton Nordheimer (b. 1883), G. Roy Boulton Nordheimer and Albert Boulton Nordheimer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boulton, Edith Sarah Louisa 1847 births 1912 deaths 19th-century Canadian women 20th-century Canadian women Canadian socialites Canadian women philanthropists Canadian philanthropists Ladies of Grace of the Order of St John People from Old Toronto 19th-century philanthropists 19th-century women philanthropists