Robertine Barry | |
---|---|
Born | Robertine Barry 26 February 1863 |
Died | 7 January 1910 |
Nationality | Canadian |
Occupation | journalist publisher |
Robertine Barry (26 February 1863 – 7 January 1910), pseudonym Françoise, was an early French Canadian journalist and publisher and a popular member of Montreal society.
Robertine Barry was born in L’Île-Verte, Lower Canada to John Edmond Barry and Aglaée Rouleau. [1] The couple had thirteen children. [1]
John Edmond Barry eventually rose to local political prominence. [1]
Aglaée Rouleau was a native of L’Île-Verte. [1]
Barry attended elementary school in Les Escoumins from 1868 to 1873, and was a day student at the Couvent Jésus-Marie in Trois-Pistoles. [1] From September 1880 to July 1882 she wrote for the student newspaper while at boarding school in Quebec. [1] Barry often felt stifled by the rules of convent education and was often reprimanded for bad behavior. [2] Barry graduated at age 20. [2]
Barry was not interested in marriage. As she explained, "I am not among those who consider marriage as the goal to which must be devoted a lifetime of noble efforts." [2]
Inspired by the success of French journalist Séverine, Barry set her sights on a career as a journalist. [2]
In 1891, Barry published her first pieces for La Patrie of Montreal under the pen name Françoise. [1] The name honored Saint Francis de Sales and indirectly honored Barry's sister Evelyn who had taken holy orders on the feast day of Francis de Sales. [3]
Barry's first article was on the importance of female education and it challenged the Catholic Church's control over schools. [2] The article set off a firestorm. [2] Honoré Beaugrand was her editor. [1] [2]
From 21 September 1891 to 5 March 1900, Barry wrote a weekly column for La Patrie under her pen name. [1] Barry was the first French-Canadian woman hired to work full-time by a Quebec newspaper. [3]
During the summer of 1895, Barry vacationed in Halifax and spotted the bell of the Fortress of Louisbourg in a local pharmacy. [3] Barry used her column in La Patrie to organize a successful fundraising campaign to buy the bell. [3] The bell is currently displayed at the Chateau de Ramezay. [3]
Barry published Le Journal de Françoise, a bimonthly review from 1902 to 1909. [2] The magazine, subtitled "Le Gazette canadienne de la famille", offered a wide variety of features intended primarily for women. [3] The magazine also reflected Barry's interest in literature, publishing works of distinguished Quebec writers such as Laure Conan, Juliette Adam, Marie Gérin-Lajoie, Louis Fréchette and Émile Nelligan. [1] [2] Many female journalists in Quebec got their first break writing for Le Journal de Françoise. [3]
Barry is one of eight finalists for the $5 polymer bills in Canada. [4]
Robertine Barry | |
---|---|
Born | Robertine Barry 26 February 1863 |
Died | 7 January 1910 |
Nationality | Canadian |
Occupation | journalist publisher |
Robertine Barry (26 February 1863 – 7 January 1910), pseudonym Françoise, was an early French Canadian journalist and publisher and a popular member of Montreal society.
Robertine Barry was born in L’Île-Verte, Lower Canada to John Edmond Barry and Aglaée Rouleau. [1] The couple had thirteen children. [1]
John Edmond Barry eventually rose to local political prominence. [1]
Aglaée Rouleau was a native of L’Île-Verte. [1]
Barry attended elementary school in Les Escoumins from 1868 to 1873, and was a day student at the Couvent Jésus-Marie in Trois-Pistoles. [1] From September 1880 to July 1882 she wrote for the student newspaper while at boarding school in Quebec. [1] Barry often felt stifled by the rules of convent education and was often reprimanded for bad behavior. [2] Barry graduated at age 20. [2]
Barry was not interested in marriage. As she explained, "I am not among those who consider marriage as the goal to which must be devoted a lifetime of noble efforts." [2]
Inspired by the success of French journalist Séverine, Barry set her sights on a career as a journalist. [2]
In 1891, Barry published her first pieces for La Patrie of Montreal under the pen name Françoise. [1] The name honored Saint Francis de Sales and indirectly honored Barry's sister Evelyn who had taken holy orders on the feast day of Francis de Sales. [3]
Barry's first article was on the importance of female education and it challenged the Catholic Church's control over schools. [2] The article set off a firestorm. [2] Honoré Beaugrand was her editor. [1] [2]
From 21 September 1891 to 5 March 1900, Barry wrote a weekly column for La Patrie under her pen name. [1] Barry was the first French-Canadian woman hired to work full-time by a Quebec newspaper. [3]
During the summer of 1895, Barry vacationed in Halifax and spotted the bell of the Fortress of Louisbourg in a local pharmacy. [3] Barry used her column in La Patrie to organize a successful fundraising campaign to buy the bell. [3] The bell is currently displayed at the Chateau de Ramezay. [3]
Barry published Le Journal de Françoise, a bimonthly review from 1902 to 1909. [2] The magazine, subtitled "Le Gazette canadienne de la famille", offered a wide variety of features intended primarily for women. [3] The magazine also reflected Barry's interest in literature, publishing works of distinguished Quebec writers such as Laure Conan, Juliette Adam, Marie Gérin-Lajoie, Louis Fréchette and Émile Nelligan. [1] [2] Many female journalists in Quebec got their first break writing for Le Journal de Françoise. [3]
Barry is one of eight finalists for the $5 polymer bills in Canada. [4]