Lady Matilda Ridout Edgar

Born in Toronto on September 29, 1844, into the prominent Ridout family, she later married James David Edgar in 1865 and became Lady Edgar after his knighthood in 1898. She raised nine children and began publishing seriously in her forties, building a reputation as a historian with a gift for bringing archival material to life.

Her books included Two Months in the Camp of Big Bear, Ten Years of Upper Canada in Peace and War, 1805–1815, and a biography of Sir Isaac Brock. She drew on letters, memoirs, and other firsthand sources, helping preserve important pieces of Canadian history for later readers.

She was also active in public life in Toronto and is remembered as a strong supporter of women’s causes. In her later years she was associated with major women’s organizations, including the National Council of Women of Canada, and her life joined scholarship, civic work, and early feminist advocacy in a way that still stands out today.