Who was Janetta Macphail is the question her great, great nephew Brian Corbett set himself as a genealogist. We have one version in The Master’s Wife by Sir Andrew Macphail, a classic memoir about family and place in rural Prince Edward Island in the 19th century. Evocative and vividly written, the book is noticeably discreet when it comes to the names, characters, and ambitions of his siblings.
Join us at the Macphail Family Homestead in Orwell for an absorbing discussion about Janetta Macphail, one of Sir Andrew’s younger sisters. Aunt Nettie, as she was called in the family, was a distinguished teacher, and a graduate, like her older brother, of McGill University. Unlike him, she was a “New Woman,” who supported giving women the vote, and a breakaway from traditional Scottish Calvinism to become a devout Christian Scientist. How did the siblings, with their differing world views on women’s place, religion, and progress, co-exist in the same family?
Corbett is joined in conversation with his cousin, journalist Sandra Martin, a great niece of Sir Andrew. Like so many others, Corbett is intrigued by the past and its effect on the present. In a wide-ranging conversation, he will explain his commitment to genealogy and his sleuthing techniques n newspaper files, biographical sources, and online sites.
The result is a multi-faceted portrait of Janetta Macphail, an early feminist, progressive thinker, and a loyal family member.
This event will be held on Sunday, August 10 th at 1pm at the old Homestead of Sir Andrew Macphail in Orwell. Cost is $30 and includes a meal and the talk. To make a reservation, please call 902 651-2789 or see our website: www.macphailhomestead.ca under events.
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