Thursday, October 2, 2008

Lady Ishbel Gordon Aberdeen

Pioneer social reformer

1857-1939; born in Scotland, moved to Ottawa in 1893.

Wife of Lord Aberdeen, Canada's 7th Governor General from 1893 to 1898.

Received an honorary L.L.D. from Queen's University, the first time an honorary degree was conferred on a woman by a Canadian university.

Lady Aberdeen believed that women were a vast unused resource in Canada. She was instrumental in forming the National Council of Women.

Against the fierce opposition of the Canadian medical establishment, she created the Victorian Order of Nurses in 1897. Lady Aberdeen was chosen VON's first president.

First president of the International Council of Women.

www.collectionscanada.ca
http://thecanadasite.com/people/aberdeen.html

No comments: