Federation nationale Saint-Jean-Baptiste 1907

Robertine Barry (26 February 1863 – 7 January 1910), pseudonym Françoise, was an early French Canadian journalist and publisher and a popular member of

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...

society.

Early life

Robertine Barry was born in L’Île-Verte,

Lower Canada The Province of Lower Canada (french: province du Bas-Canada) was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence (1791–1841). It covered the southern portion of the current Province of Quebec an ...

to John Edmond Barry and Aglaée Rouleau. The couple had thirteen children. John Edmond Barry eventually rose to local political prominence. Aglaée Rouleau was a native of L’Île-Verte. Barry attended elementary school in Les Escoumins from 1868 to 1873, and was a day student at the Couvent Jésus-Marie in Trois-Pistoles. From September 1880 to July 1882 she wrote for the student newspaper while at boarding school in Quebec. Barry often felt stifled by the rules of convent education and was often reprimanded for bad behavior. Barry graduated at age 20. Barry was not interested in marriage. As she explained, "I am not among those who consider marriage as the goal to which must be devoted a lifetime of noble efforts."

Career

Inspired by the success of French journalist Séverine, Barry set her sights on a career as a journalist. In 1891, Barry published her first pieces for '' La Patrie'' of Montreal under the pen name Françoise. The name honored

Saint Francis de Sales Francis de Sales (french: François de Sales; it, Francesco di Sales; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to ...

and indirectly honored Barry's sister Evelyn who had taken holy orders on the feast day of

Francis de Sales Francis de Sales (french: François de Sales; it, Francesco di Sales; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to ...

. Barry's first article was on the importance of female education and it challenged the Catholic Church's control over schools. The article set off a firestorm.

Honoré Beaugrand Honoré Beaugrand (24 March 1848 – 7 October 1906) was a French Canadian journalist, politician, author and folklorist, born in Berthier County, Quebec. As a young graduate from military school Beaugrand joined the French military forces und ...

was her editor. From 21 September 1891 to 5 March 1900, Barry wrote a weekly column for ''La Patrie'' under her pen name. Barry was the first hired to work full-time by a Quebec newspaper. During the summer of 1895, Barry vacationed in Halifax and spotted the bell of the

Fortress of Louisbourg The Fortress of Louisbourg (french: Forteresse de Louisbourg) is a National Historic Site and the location of a one-quarter partial reconstruction of an 18th-century French fortress at Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Its two siege ...

in a local pharmacy. Barry used her column in '' La Patrie'' to organize a successful fundraising campaign to buy the bell. The bell is currently displayed at the Chateau de Ramezay. Barry published ''Le Journal de Françoise'', a bimonthly review from 1902 to 1909. The magazine, subtitled "Le Gazette canadienne de la famille", offered a wide variety of features intended primarily for women. The magazine also reflected Barry's interest in literature, publishing works of distinguished Quebec writers such as

Laure Conan Marie-Louise-Félicité Angers (9 January 1845 – 6 June 1924), better known by her pen name Laure Conan, was a French Canadian writer and journalist. She is regarded as one of the first French-Canadian female novelists and the writer of th ...

Juliette Adam Juliette Adam (; née Lambert; 4 October 1836 – 23 August 1936) was a French author and feminist. Life and career Juliette Adam was born in Verberie (Oise). She gave an account of her childhood, rendered unhappy by the dissensions of he ...

, Marie Gérin-Lajoie,

Louis Fréchette Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...

and

Émile Nelligan Émile Nelligan (December 24, 1879 – November 18, 1941) was a Canadian Symbolist poet from Montreal who wrote in French. Even though he stopped writing poetry after being institutionalized at the age of 19, Nelligan remains an iconic figure ...

. Many female journalists in Quebec got their first break writing for ''Le Journal de Françoise''.

Legacy

Barry is one of eight finalists for the $5 polymer bills in Canada.

References

External links

Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barry, Robertine 1863 births 1910 deaths Journalists from Quebec Canadian people of Irish descent Canadian women journalists Canadian women non-fiction writers 19th-century pseudonymous writers Pseudonymous women writers