A Leaven of Ladies: A History of The Calgary Local Council of Women

Patricia Myers is a historian with the Historic Sites and Archives
Service, Alberta Community Development and the author of Sky Riders: An
Illustrated History of Aviation in Alberta, 1906–1945.

In November 1895, while on a swing through Western Canada with her
husband, Lady Ishbel Aberdeen, the first president of the National
Council of Women of Canada, presided at a meeting in Calgary where the
Calgary branch of the organization was formed. From that imperious
beginning, Marjorie Norris’s narrative is off and running through the
history of Calgary’s Local Council. Norris is a former president of
the Calgary Council and has written other organizational histories.

This history is a good one. Norris naturally begins with the
Council’s initial forays into public action. Under the banner of
“maternal feminism,” it sought to root out evils (e.g., “impure
literature”) that might be sneaking into Calgary. With the passing of
time, however, the Council became a strong advocate for women. Norris
delves into its role at such critical historical junctures as the
election of the first women to city council (as well as to positions as
school trustees), the enfranchisement debate, and the Irene Murdoch
case. The transformation of this group into a well-oiled machine with
social, political, and legal clout makes for fascinating reading. Norris
balances the contributions of individual women with a discussion of the
Council’s overall importance. Portraits of life members conclude this
well-researched and well-written book.