Marlena Wyman

April 13, 1931: Another great wind & dirt storm, my eyes are full sitting in the house. Quote from Cecily Jepson Hepworth’s diary. Cecily came to the Readlyn, Saskatchewan area from Chorley, Lancashire, England in 1930. Diaries: Saskatchewan Archives R-E190 Photo: Clara Lawrence, Peace River area AB 1902 Glenbow Archives #NA-2502-16

The Beulah Home for Unwed Mothers and their babies was founded in Edmonton in 1909 by Maude Elizabeth Chatham. The house was decorated in a cozy, homey way rather than appearing institutional, and the Home welcomed the women and girls into the Beulah “family” during their stay. The Beulah Home was different than other institutions of the day in another significant way. It was common practice at the time to pressure unwed mothers into giving up their babies for adoption, and in some cases babies were taken away from the mother immediately after giving birth. Although the Home arranged for adoptions, they also helped mothers to keep their babies if they wished to do so. An enlightened view, well ahead of its time. Photos: Beulah Home fonds, Provincial Archives of Alberta (Acc# PR1971.47).

Madeleine Frances Jaffray was born in 1889. She served as a lieutenant and Nursing Sister in the Canadian Army during the First World War. Madeleine was one of 10 nurses sent overseas in 1915 by the Canadian National Nursing Association in answer to an appeal made by the French Flag Nursing Corps. “Bluebird” was the nickname for the Nursing Sisters in the war who wore blue uniforms and white veils. On June 5, 1917 she was wounded in a bombing while stationed at a hospital at Adinkerke, Belgium. The injury resulted in the amputation of her left foot, making her Canada’s only female war amputee. In recognition of her service and injury, Madeleine was presented with the Croix de Guerre, the first Canadian woman to receive this honour. Madeleine moved back to Edmont on,worked for the Victorian Order of Nurses and was involved with the War Amputees of Canada and the Overseas Nurses Association. Photos: Madeleine Morrison fonds, Provincial Archives of Alberta PR1986.54.0012.35

"In log cabins and sod shacks, fifty and even one hundred miles from the railways are thousands of brave women living on the western prairies, bearing the cross of motherhood without proper care and giving the best of their lives in the struggle to win a corner of the earth which they and their families may call home." Quote from the front page of The Grain Growers Guide, 27 November 1912 Photograph supplied by artist: Pauline, friend of artist’s paternal grandmother, Lily Wyman [1916]

I am a mother of 5 children, the oldest being 7 years. I am 25 years old. We live on the farm, but owing to sickness we haven’t got on very well. I trust we will do better soon, but debts are a very constant worry… Please send information on birth control. Letter from “Another Reader” to the Western Producer newspaper, November 10, 1927 I am 31, the mother of 7 children, eldest 11 years, and youngest 8 months, not at all strong, and owing to farm conditions, very heavily in debt. I would like to have any information I can get re birth control. Letter from “Mrs. E.J.M.” to the Western Producer newspaper, September 29, 1927. These and other similar letters were written to Violet McNaughton (nee Jackson), the Editor of the Western Producer newspaper’s Women’s Column from 1925 to 1950. With Violet’s help, farm women were able to obtain birth control information, which was illegal at the time, through cover activities such as sewing circles. Photograph: Unidentified woman and child [1900] Provincial Archives of Alberta #A21376

I did my sewing after I got the children off to bed at midnight. Quote from Mabel Barker’s oral history interview and transcript. Mabel came to Shepard, Alberta from Ontario in 1891. Oral history: Provincial Archives of Alberta PR1981.279/20