Jessie Turnbull. or Jessie McEwen (December, 1845 – 1 June 1920), was a Canadian woman's rights activist. It was said that if the public were asked to name which "woman who has done most to shape... Canada ...
oname would stand higher than that of Jessie Turnbull McEwen."
Life
Turnbull was born probably in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
in 1845. Her first job after leaving college was in women's rights. She was employed under the leadership of
Egerton Ryerson
Adolphus Egerton Ryerson (24 March 1803 – 19 February 1882) was a Canadian educator, author, editor, and Methodist minister who was a prominent contributor to the design of the Canadian public school system.
A renowned advocate against Christ ...
to tour schools to educate parents of the importance of educating girls as well as boys.
[ Turnbull married in 1868 and they lived in Toronto, then Montreal and then back to Toronto.
The Toronto Women's Literary Guild was established in 1877 to campaign for women's rights and for improved working conditions. Turnbull and Dr. ]Emily Howard Stowe
Emily Howard Stowe (née Jennings, May 1, 1831 – April 30, 1903) was a Canadian physician who was the first female physician to practise in Canada, the second licensed female physician in Canada and an activist for women's rights and suff ...
, Canada's second licensed female physician, were founders.Canadian Women's Suffrage Association
The Canadian Women's Suffrage Association, originally called the Toronto Women's Literary Guild, was an organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that fought for women's rights.
After the association had been inactive for a while, the leade ...
in 1883 with Jessie (McEwen) Turnbull as its first president.Ishbel Hamilton-Gordon, Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair
Ishbel Maria Hamilton-Gordon, Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair, ('' née'' Isabel Maria Marjoribanks; 15 March 1857 – 18 April 1939) was a British author, philanthropist, and an advocate of women's interests. As the wife of John Hamilton-G ...
, who was the Viceregal consort of Canada
The viceregal consort of Canada is the spouse of the serving governor general of Canada, assisting the viceroy with ceremonial and charitable work, accompanying him or her to official state occasions, and occasionally undertaking philanthropic work ...
, talk about the National Council of Women of Canada
The National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC, french: Conseil national des femmes du Canada, (''CNFC'')) is a Canadian advocacy organization based in Ottawa, Ontario, aimed at improving conditions for women, families, and communities. A federati ...
. Turnbull agreed to become the President of the Brandon branch of the group. The Brandon group were successful in campaigning for many improvements. This was not because of Turnbull's demands but due to her persuasive powers.[
Turnbull moved to the city of Brandon in 1919 and died there on 1 June 1920. Journalist ]Lillian Beynon Thomas
Lillian Beynon Thomas (4 September 1876 – 2 September 1961) was a Canadian journalist and feminist.
Life
Lillian Beynon was born on 4 September 1876
Birth Certificate
in Streetsville, Ontario.
Her parents were James Barnes and Rebecca Beynon, ...
wrote in 1915 that if the public were asked to name which "woman who has done most to shape...Canada ... oname would stand higher than that of Jessie Turnbull McEwen".[Manitoba Free Press on 1 May 1915]
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Turnbull, Jessie
1845 births
1920 deaths
Canadian women's rights activists