If you recently attended our Cambridge Women’s HERstory walking tour you might be interested in these resources for further reading and learning about women’s history in Cambridge, Ontario, including Galt, Preston and Hespeler. Joleen Taylor, community researcher and and Stroll walking tour guide used many of these resources when developing the Cambridge Women’s HERstory walking tour.
Why Women’s History walking tours in the month of October?
- Because October is Women’s History Month in Canada! Why October? Because of The Person’s Case, of course!
- In 1992, the Government of Canada designated October as Women’s History Month to commemorate October 18th, 1929.
- The Senate of Canada does a good job of identifying the elitist and racist beliefs and actions of some of the Famous Five.
- Check out the theme for 2025, including an enlightening timeline of women’s history in Canada. So much to learn here! The page also includes some action steps you can take to honour women’s history month – you’ve already done one thing by going on our Kitchener women’s history walking tour!
- Why Women’s History Month still matters
- Learn about other dates of significance for women and girls in October:
- October 4: Sisters in Spirit Day – honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and supporting survivors and their families
- October 11: International Day of the Girl – recognizing the unique challenges and inequalities faced by girls and the need for more opportunities
- October 15: International Day of Rural Women – recognizing the invaluable contributions of rural women to food systems of the world
- One more thing: 2025 is the 50th anniversary of the very first United Nations International Women’s Year in Mexico City in 1975!
General local history that includes some women
- It Happened in Cambridge
- Cambridge Hall of Fame (unfortunately you have to browse alphabetically!)
- Waterloo Historical Society (annual volumes also available at local libraries)
- McDougall Cottage (located on Grand Ave, Cambridge)
- Cambridge Archives
- City of Cambridge Heritage Property register
- Waterloo County House of Industry and Refuge
- Ontario Census Search (where you can look for interesting people who lived in Galt, Preston or Hespeler)
- Waterloo Region Generations (where you can look for interesting people who lived in Galt, Preston or Hespeler)
- Picturesque and Industrial Galt (1902)
- Jubilee Souvenir of Galt (1897)
- “Cambridge Mosaic: An Inquiry into Who’s Who in the History of Cambridge” Jim Quantrell (Hardcover) – A collection of almost encyclopedia-like articles about the people who helped make Cambridge what it is today. (available at Cambridge Public Library and available for purchase at Cambridge Archives)
- “A Part of Our Past: Essay’s on Cambridge’s History” Jim Quantrell (Bound Copy) – A collection of essays and short articles about various people and places throughout the history of Cambridge. (available at Cambridge Public Library and available for purchase at Cambridge Archives)
- “Time Frames: Historical Chronologies of Galt, Hespeler, Blair and Cambridge” Jim Quantrell (Bound Copy) – A chronological listing of important events in the history of Cambridge and its founding municipalities. Excellent for anyone new to studying local history. (available at Cambridge Public Library and available for purchase at Cambridge Archives)
The Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRNS or WRENS)
- Called to serve: Celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service – Canada.ca
- Proudly She Marched: Training Canada’s World War II Women in Waterloo County – by Ruth Russell and Anne Kallin (2006) – available at public libraries and often found in local second hand book shops
- Volume 1: Canadian Women’s Army Corps.
- Volume 2: Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service
- More about the WRCNS from the Canadian Encyclopedia
- Helen Leadbetter – Helen Leadbetter, 92, reveals secret story told in The Imitation Game
- The “Jenny WREN” statue
- Sculptor Frances Gage; Stone Woman: In conversation with Frances Gage, sculptor of “Woman”
- Unlikely Paradise: The Life of Francis Gage (Book for purchase; may also be available at public libraries)
Teachers
Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)
- A general history (Canadian Encyclopedia)
- More about the temperance movement (Canadian Encyclopedia)
Cambridge Residents or Born in Cambridge (Galt, Preston or Hespeler)
- Rowena Hume: Saving Lives st the Height of the Abortion Ban
- A history of Women’s College Hospital
- Rowena’s story above is one of 52 Women Who Transformed Toronto on exhibit at the Museum of Toronto, 401 Richmond until December 2025.
- Claudette Millar
- The Mill Girls – CBC News Long Form Essay – scroll half way through the article to find the 53 minute audio documentary – it’s fantastic!! (2021), Hespeler Heritage Centre, Our Mill Girls (Dominion Woollens & Worsted)
- 2010 Artist in Residence, Sue Sturdy – Knit Cambridge (video)
- Bye bye to Knit Bridge – Cambridge Times
More Books
- Life and Times of Florence Dickson (Book available at Woolf & Company Bookstore, formerly The Rookery, 25 Main Street)
- Cambridge Today article about the Life & Times of Florence Dickson
- Women of Waterloo County. (2000) Edited by Ruth Russell – Available at public libraries and sometime a good find at local second hand bookstores
More Fun Cambridge History by Ingrid Talpak
Do you have more Cambridge Women’s history learning resources or connections we should know about?
We expect to add more Black History learning resources relevant to Waterloo Region as we find them! If you have learning resources or research about Black history in Waterloo Region, please contact us!
