Matilda Ridout Edgar
| Matilda Ridout Edgar | |
|---|---|
Matilda Edgar in October 1896
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| Born |
Matilda Ridout 29 September 1844 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | 29 September 1910 (aged 66) London, England |
| Nationality | Canadian, British |
| Occupation | Historian and feminist |
| Known for | Ten years of Upper Canada in peace and war, 1805–1815 |
Matilda Ridout Edgar (29 September 1844 – 29 September 1910) was a Canadian historian and feminist. She was born Matilda Ridout, became Matilda Edgar by marriage, and became Lady Edgar in 1898 when her husband was knighted. The mother of nine children, she turned to historical research and writing when in her forties. She published three books in her lifetime and was working on a fourth when she died. She was active in a number of Toronto-based societies, and in her later years was a strong advocate of women's causes.
Matilda Ridout was born in Toronto, Canada, on 29 September 1844, the fifth child and second daughter of Thomas Gibbs Ridout and Matilda Ann Bramley. Her grandfather, Thomas Ridout of Sherborne, Dorset, was surveyor general of Upper Canada from 1810 to 1829. Her father was the first cashier of the Bank of Upper Canada from 1822 until he retired in 1861. Her father died a few months after retiring, and his mother was left with little money to support a family of nine. On 5 September 1865 Matilda married James David Edgar, a barrister, lawyer and author, becoming Matilda Edgar. The marriage of "Tillie" (Matilda) and James was happy and loving, as is shown by the letters he wrote to her daily when politics took him to Ottawa.
She enjoyed raising their three daughters and six sons, although they left her with little free time. Eight of the children lived into adulthood. Their eldest son was James Frederic Edgar, born on 6 July 1866. Their second surviving son was Pelham Edgar and their oldest daughter was Maud. They were followed by William Wilkie, born on 26 October 1874, Beatrice on 25 August 1877, David Keithock on 29 November 1879 and Herbert Wedderlie on 20 June 1883. Marjorie was born in 1886.
Her husband ran on the Liberal platform and was elected to the House of Commons of Canada to represent Monck, Ontario on 12 October 1872, but lost his seat in the election of 22 January 1874. He ran again without success in several by-elections and elections until being elected on the Liberal platform for Ontario West on 22 August 1884. During his time out of office he became the unofficial organizer for Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie in Ontario, and negotiated a new railway clause for the entry of British Columbia into the Confederation of Canada.
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