Ridout, Matilda (Edgar) (Lady Edgar)

  • DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY ARTICLE: Erin Breault, “RIDOUT, MATILDA (Edgar) (Lady Edgar),” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 13, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/ridout_matilda_13E.html
  • DCB profile:
    • Historian and feminist; b. 29 Sept. 1844 in Toronto, fifth child of Thomas Gibbs Ridout and Matilda Ann Bramley; m. there 5 Sept. 1865 James David Edgar, and they had three daughters and six sons; d. 29 Sept. 1910 in London, England, and was buried in Toronto.
    • Matilda Ridout came from an old and prominent Toronto family. Her grandfather Thomas Ridout had been surveyor general of Upper Canada from 1810 to 1829, and her father was the first cashier (manager) of the Bank of Upper Canada from 1822 until his retirement in 1861.
    • Not surprisingly, Matilda’s literary career did not begin until she was in her mid forties, when most of her children were grown. Her first work, was an edited collection of family letters entitled Ten years of Upper Canada in peace and war, 1805–1815 . . . (Toronto, 1890). The book consists of correspondence between Thomas Ridout and his sons George and Thomas Gibbs. The letters describe life in Toronto and London and provide details of battles during the War of 1812. Her second book on a Canadian subject, a biography of Sir Isaac Brock, appeared in Toronto in 1904. Contemporary reviewers without exception praised Ten years. The Toronto World wrote, “The letters are the more valuable because of that time there are but few contemporary records preserved.” General Brock was also well received. Shortly after her death an editorial in the Montreal Standard argued that “for accuracy and completeness of information . . . and for beauty of style, it has seldom been surpassed.”
    • Both works were representative of the whig or nationalist school of historical writing, wherein the historian’s objective was to celebrate Canada’s achievements, such as winning the War of 1812, in order to further national consolidation. As M. Brook Taylor has pointed out, many historians “turned to biography and the veneration of the nation’s forefathers” to, in Matilda’s words, “inspire every Canadian with a feeling of pride in his country, and of grateful admiration for those who saved the land in its hour of need.
    • After this year of spiritualist explorations Lady Edgar became more involved in advocating the rights of women to higher education, to earn an independent living, to vote, and, in the case of married women, to control their own property. Her commitment took the form of leadership in the National Council of Women: she became a life member in 1906 and was elected president that year and again in 1909.
    • Lady Edgar is known best as a historian and philanthropist, but it should be remembered that she had a successful literary career at a time when some men still frowned on women engaging in such work. Undoubtedly there is a connection between her pursuit of a non-traditional career and her association with other accomplished women writers and reformers. Lady Edgar was in step with these women in her support of reform and women’s rights at a time when these issues were at the forefront of social debate in Canada.
  • Great Granddaughter of United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=1181
  • Find a Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104571637/matilda-edgar