Katherine Hughes

Event

2011

01:20:51

This is a lecture by Padraig O’Siadhail titled “Katherine Hughes”, where he discusses Katherine Hughes life and career, family background and history, formative life events, Canadian women in politics, Katherine’s life journeys, Ireland, Canada, Charlottetown, activism and other events relating to Katherine Hughes’ life.

All content on this site is made available for personal research and private study only. Any other reuse, reproduction, or re-purposing may require the permission of the rightsholder(s); please contact the UPEI Library for more information on permissions/clearances.

Held by Benevolent Irish Society

The speaker explains that this lecture is based on his research for a biography of Katherine Hughes. Using the idea of journey, the speaker will cover Hughes’ physical journey, but will also cover the harder to determine the “journey” of what Hughes thought while travelling and the even more difficult “journey” to determine her motivation.
The speaker outlines Hughes’ life from her birth in 1876 to her death in 1925. In that time Hughes was a teacher, journalist, biographer, archivist, founder of the Canadian Women’s Press Club and the Edmonton Catholic Women’s League, political insider, playwright, and an Irish activist. Despite her many accomplishments, Hughes died a forgotten figure in PEI and elsewhere.
The speaker explains some aspects of writing a biography or “life writing” as well as the difference between writing about a female versus a male. The speaker notes that due to a lack of documentation he was left to speculate what motivated Hughes to become an activist for Ireland’s independence. The speaker contrasts his experience writing Hughes’ biography with the biography he wrote about Piaras Beaslai.
Using a June 1904 photo, the speaker outlines Hughes’ first “journey" when as a Ottawa journalist she was invited with other female journalists to Chicago to write about the World Fair. This was unusual in that female journalists usually only wrote about women’s issues such as home and children. The speaker explains that this trip was a formative event in Hughes’ career.
After the Chicago Fair Hughes helped form the Canadian Women’s Press Club, was private secretary to Alberta’s Premier Arthur Sifton, supported social reform, formed the Catholic Women’s League of Edmonton and wrote Pere Lacombe’s biography. The speaker speculates it was her Catholicism that is why Hughes did not support the vote for women rather than her career.
The speaker describes Hughes’ second journey involving her leaving Edmonton in 1913 to work in the Office of the Agent General of Alberta in London. During Hughes’ seven years in Edmonton she was a journalist with the “Edmonton Bulletin”, provincial archivist, private secretary to both Premiers Rutherford and Sifton, wrote Pere Lacombe’s biography and formed the Catholic Women’s League of Edmonton.
The speaker speculates that Hughes left Edmonton due to dissatisfaction with her private life. Prior to leaving Hughes was involved with Paul von Aueberg, a Lutheran, and his letters to her give a glimpse into Hughes’ private life. The speaker quotes from letters dated October 1912 and May 1913. Von Aueberg characterizes Hughes as strong, well spoken and a social climber. They also show that Hughes was against mixed marriages and how she considered some occupations as “polite”.
The speaker points out that we don’t know if von Aueberg’s letters were an accurate reflection of Hughes as some of his comments contradicted her actions as an activist. Kate Simpson, a Press Club member, depicted Hughes more in line with how Hughes saw herself when she described Hughes as ”a royal woman”.
Without a context for von Aueberg’s letters, the speaker asks if we should read between the lines. The speaker also notes that Hughes’ sister, Lauretta, married Robert Kneil, a Methodist, in 1903 and the Catholic church had reformed its views on mixed marriages in 1908. Despite these events, the speaker assumes that Hughes, being a Catholic activist, supported the church. The speaker also notes that now there is more information available on Hughes.
The speaker suggests that despite her feelings for von Aueberg, marrying him would set a bad example due to the position Hughes held in Catholic organizations and maybe this is why Hughes left Edmonton. The speaker said that speculations like these filled some of the gaps in his research.
By August 1914 Hughes is now on her third journey in the Agent General of Alberta Office in London. The speaker reads some of what Hughes wrote to (Father) Lacombe describing the Irish people she met in Ireland. The speaker sees Hughes as someone who is “absorbing her surroundings”.
The speaker quotes from two sources how Hughes changed from a Canadian Imperialist to a strong supporter of a fully independent Ireland. The speaker asks if this explains why Hughes became an activist and then suggests that in fact Hughes’ story is incomplete.
While in London, the speaker explains that Hughes would have come into contact with a large Irish expatriate community and members of the Gaelic League. It is known that Hughes knew Padraci O’Conaire and co-wrote a play with him. It is unknown how involved Hughes was in writing the play and in O’Conaire private life.
The speaker tells that during 1918-1920 Hughes worked in America with the Irish Progressive League, the Friends of Irish Freedom and the Irish National Bureau all part of Hughes’ third journey. In 1920 Hughes was sent to Canada by Eamon de Valera where she created the Self-Determination for Ireland League. The speaker illustrates the mixed reactions to Hughes’ Irish activism in Canada and in the United States.
The speaker explains that by August 1924 there was limited success in the campaign for Irish independence. After the Truce in July 1921 and the Anglo-Irish Treaty in December 1921, the pro-Irish networks in Canada and US collapsed. Hughes, living in NY, remained passionate about Ireland’s independence. Hughes attempted to set up a writer in residence for Padraic O’Conaire at the University College of Galway.
The speaker quotes Father Peter Magennis who wrote in New York’s “Irish World” about Hughes’ illness, her death on April 26, 1925 from cancer and her funeral in New York City. Despite being largely forgotten, the speaker suggests that Magennis' description attempted to avoid embarrassment to her family of Hughes’ being shunned by so many. Hughes is buried in an unmarked grave.
The speaker notes that recent writings on Hughes such as the book “In the Promised Land of Alberta’s North”, reflect an increasing interest in Hughes. As well, Hughes is referenced in materials published about the Irish living in Canada. The speaker also notes that it takes time for new material to work its way through the scholarly and academic systems.
The speaker concludes by telling how Hughes is on her last journey being shown as a notable and powerful member of the Irish diaspora and a major contributor to Irish causes. The speaker claims that Katherine Hughes is now being reclaimed not just for the Irish but for everyone.
Applause
Questions
Final comments