A Gentlewoman in Upper Canada: The Journals, Letters, and Art of Anne Langton.

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

In 1837, when what is now Ontario was little more than a clearing in the bush, Anne Langton emigrated from Britain to join her brother at his homestead in the Fenelon Falls area. Anne, an upper-class spinster, adapted well to her new environment and documented the experience in journals written over her first decade in Canada.

Langton wrote with the intention of being read by family members remaining in England. She gave herself the goal of describing “the employments” of everyday life, including all its difficulties, but “not in the spirit of a grumbler.” She distinguished between these descriptive journals and her personal diary of day-to-day activities, so the journals have a broad, generalized slant.

The Langton journals were previously published in 1904 and 1950. This edition draws from both of those earlier versions, plus adds extracts from letters by Anne and other family members, 27 pieces of Anne’s art work, an introduction, and other research material.

The introduction and afterword add considerable value in that they provide the tools with which to understand and appreciate the Langton material. This analytical material is remarkable for its research, readability, and thoroughness. It is sufficiently substantial that it could stand alone as a work in its own right. In it we are introduced to Langton’s situation, her writing and painting skills, and the social context of the era. There’s an overview of the unofficial code of genteel conduct, plus a look at women’s roles in education, medicine, the family and the arts. With meticulously documentation of sources, it gives a thought-provoking view of Langton’s world and the societal norms of the time.

The reprinted Langton journals and letters cover all aspects of the female settler’s life: baking, tending wood-burning fireplaces and stoves, servants, mending, illnesses, expenses, food, gardening, and entertainment. Conditions such as the weather, black flies, poor roads, and the shortage of supplies all receive Anne’s attention. In less detail she gives her observations of men’s work such as logging, fencing, maple sugaring, butchering, and building.

Given that the journals were written some 170 years ago, it is remarkable how smooth they are for today’s reader. While the style is somewhat formal, Langton’s beautiful use of language and touches of humour are easily appreciated. There’s even the occasional touch of gossip (a neighboring family used 50 pounds of butter in three weeks!).

The work achieves the near-impossible feat of conforming to the requirements of an academic study while also being approachable by a general readership.