Helen Gregory MacGill

Helen Emma Gregory MacGill (January 7 1864 – February 27 1947) was one of Canada's first woman judges and for many years the only woman judge, and a noted women's rights advocate in Canada, where she fought for female suffrage.

Born in Hamilton, Ontario,cite web| title =Canadian Encyclopedia: Helen Gregory MacGill| url=http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0004901| accessdate = 2007-01-24] she received a B.A. and an M.A. degree in 1888 from Trinity College (now part of the University of Toronto), the only woman in her class and the first female graduate. She then went into newspaper work, working as a reporter.

After the death in 1900 of her first husband, Dr. F.C. Flescher, she was married to J.H. MacGill in 1902. She was the mother of Dr. Helen MacGill Hughes and Elsie MacGill (born 1905), a noted female aeronautical engineer.

She died on February 27 1947, aged 83, after having served as a judge of the Juvenile Court of Vancouver, British Columbia for 23 years.

References

* "Helen G. MacGill, Canadian Jurist", Obituary published in the "New York Times", Feb. 28 1947, p. 23. Accessed through ProQuest Historical Newspapers.

Further reading

* MacGill, E.M.G. "My mother, the : a biography of Judge Helen Gregory MacGill." (1955). Toronto: Ryerson Press; reprinted in 1981 by Toronto: PMA Books, ISBN 0887782108.