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Henrietta Muir Edwards

by Brittany from Winnipeg

“We sought to establish the individuality of women…it was an uphill fight.”

Canadian born, Henrietta Muir Edwards, lived to be 82 years old. During her years, Henrietta did many great, heroic things including; supporting women’s legal and political rights, with the help of four other women in a group called the, ‘Famous 5’. Henrietta was born in Montreal, 1894, and was raised in a cultured, affluent, and religious family. She lived a long life, but sadly, she died on November 10, 1931, in Fort Macleod. She was buried next to her husband and son in Edmonton, while her gravestone only listed family names, along with a Bible verse.

In her time, Henrietta supported many causes including; mother’s allowances, equal parental rights, equal grounds for divorce, temperance, reform of the prison system in Canada, and raising the age of consent. She was also involved with, “Women’s Christian Temperance Union” in 1886, “National Council of Women” in 1893, which she helped establish as a law student, and “Victorian Order of Nurses” in 1897, which she co-founded. She was also active in prison reform and organized the forerunner to YWCA in Montreal, 1875.

Henrietta made the first Canadian magazine for working women and wrote several books, which were on the legal status of women and children. Besides writing books, Henrietta even wrote many handbooks on Women and Canadian Law, such as, “Legal Status of Women in Canada” (in 1917), and “Legal Status of Women in Alberta” (in 1921). Henrietta wasn’t only an excellent writer, but she was an extremely talented artist.

When Henrietta moved to Alberta, she was chosen to chair the Alberta Laws Committee after her husband’s death in 1915. She was also one of the first conveners of the Council’s Standing Committee on Laws Affecting Women and Children. While in Alberta, Henrietta secured the legislation for the protection of women in Alberta. Even when she was 80 years old, the “Women as Persons” controversy arouse! Lots of the legal research was Henrietta’s responsibility so the group, ‘Famous 5’, could show the ‘Supreme Court’ and the ‘Judicial Committee of the Privy Council’, their case of women not particularly known as persons. Except Henrietta was very disappointed when, on April 24, 1928, the Supreme Court declared that women were not considered persons, legally. But, to her surprise, officially on October 18, 1929, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council’s news headlines quickly spread across the British Empire, which were mainly: “Privy Council Declares Women Are Persons!” which pleased Henrietta, along with the rest of the Famous 5. To congratulate and thank all five of the women for their good deeds, the Calgary Women’s Canadian Club planned a celebratory lunch and held it on January 23, in 1930. When Henrietta presented her speech, she didn’t just take credit for herself, but she also included giving credit to all of the men who had helped them support the important cause, “Well, not perhaps the Judges on the Supreme Court of Canada, but certainly the Lords on the Privy Council!” Henrietta quotes.

The Famous 5 was a group made up of five Canadian women who were; Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy, Nelly McClung, Irene Parlby, and Louise McKinney.

Page created on 3/29/2006 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 3/29/2006 12:00:00 AM

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