Mazo de la Roche

In writing this series of blog posts, I'm hoping to bring attention to some women who have influenced Canada's history but who have been neglected. I was influenced by Merna Forster's books 100 Canadian Heroines and 100 More Canadian Heroines. While reading these women's stories, I was surprised by how many of them I had never heard of. This prompted me to seek out more information and to share it with you.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia - no information on the source

I actually came across Mazo de la Roche's writing before reading Merna Forster's books. I've been reading the Jalna series over the last couple years. I was surprised by how much more she'd written that I hadn't heard of. Jalna is just the tip of the iceberg. I feel her writing opened the door for more Canadian authors to publish books outside of Canada.

Mazo was born Masie Roche in 1879 in Newmarket, Ontario to William Roche and Alberta Lundy. She was there only child as her mother was sickly during her childhood. They moved frequently. Her cousin Caroline Clement came to live with them in the mid-1880s. Mazo and Caroline lived together for most of their lives and were very close.

In 1927, Jalna was entered in a writing contest in the Atlantic Weekly. The fame that resulted from her winning overwhelmed her but gave her the financial freedom to travel. Caroline was able to leave her civil service job and the two of them travelled in Europe before settling in England until the second world war. While living in England, they adopted two children Esme and Rene.

In 1938, Mazo won the Lorne Peace medal for her writing. In 1976, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada recognised her as a national historic person. Ontario Heritage Foundation restored the Georgian style brick home in Mississauga, Ontario that was the inspiration for Jalna. Sovereign House, where she lived from 1911-1915 in Bronte, Ontario is preserved as a heritage building.  

She died in Toronto, Ontario in 1961. Carolyn had incorrect birthdates carved into their gravestone. She was still writing almost to the end of her life. The themes of her books may not have translated well to later generations causing the decline in her popularity and the lack of knowledge about her.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazo_de_la_Roche
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorne_Pierce_Medal
The mystery of Mazo de la Roche, National Film Board of Canada, Maya Gallus 2011
100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces, Merna Forster,  "An Imaginary World" p.75-77
Ringing the Changes, Mazo de la Roche, Macmillan and Company Limited, London, 1957