Crawford, Isabella Valancy National Historic Person
Peterborough, Ontario
Isabella Crawford
(© Expired)
Address :
Peterborough, Ontario
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1947-05-21
Life Date:
1850 to 1887
Other Name(s):
-
Crawford, Isabella Valancy
(Designation Name)
Importance:
Poet and writer
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: Millenium Park, on bank of Otonabee River near City Hall Peterborough, Ontario
Irish-born, Isabella Crawford came to Canada as a young girl and eventually settled in Peterborough. Following her father's death in 1875 she supported her family through writing, and published articles, fiction and poetry in Toronto and New York journals. She later moved to Toronto to further her career and there gained modest success. Although largely unknown in her short lifetime, her reputation has steadily grown so that she is considered to be one of the finest Canadian poets of her generation. She is best remembered for her long poems "Malcolm's Katie" and "Old Spookses' Pass".