Catharine Parr Traill (1802–1899)
Author of The Backwoods of Canada
About the Author
Catherine Parr Traill was born in Kent, England on January 9, 1802. She was educated at her home and began to write when she was fifteen years of age. Her first children's book was published in 1818. She wrote many juvenile works including Disobedience, or Mind What Mama Says and Happy Because show more Good, which were published without her name, and sold very well. In 1832, she married Lieutenant Thomas Traill. They emigrated to Canada and settled in Douro, Ontario, in 1833. After arriving in Canada, she contributed to several periodicals including Chambers's Journal and Sharpe's London Magazine. She also published several books including The Backwoods of Canada; The Female Emigrant's Guide, and Hints on Canadian Housekeeping; The Canadian Settlers' Guide; Canadian Crusoes; Ramblings in the Canadian Forest; Stories of the Canadian Forests; Canadian Wild Flowers; Studies of Plant Life in Canada; Pearls and Pebbles; and Afar in the Forest. She died on August 29, 1899. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Catherine Parr Traill. Photograph from National Archives of Canada. C-067337
Works by Catharine Parr Traill
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Traill, Catharine Parr Strickland
- Other names
- Strickland, Catharine
- Birthdate
- 1802-01-09
- Date of death
- 1899-08-29
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- children's book author
nature writer
diarist - Awards and honors
- Government of Canada Commemorative Stamp
Trent University, in Peterborough, Ontario, Catharine Parr Traill College - Relationships
- Moodie, Susanna (sister)
Strickland, Agnes (sister)
Strickland, Samuel (brother)
Traill, Walter (son) - Short biography
- Catharine Parr Strickland was a sister of authors Agnes Strickland and Susanna Moodie. She began writing children's books in 1818, after the death of her father. In 1832, she married Lieutenant Thomas Traill, a retired officer of the Napoleonic Wars and a friend of her sister's husband, John Moodie, despite family objections. Soon after their marriage, the couple left for Canada, settling near Peterborough, Upper Canada, where her brother Samuel was a surveyor. Susannah Moodie emigrated soon afterward. Catharine Traill described her new life in letters and journals, and collected these into The Backwoods of Canada (1836), which continues to be read as an important source of information about early Canada.
- Nationality
- UK
Canada - Birthplace
- Rotherhithe, London, England, UK
- Places of residence
- London, England, UK
Lakefield, Ontario, Canada - Place of death
- Lakefield, Ontario, Canada
- Burial location
- Hillside Cemetery, Lakefield, Ontario, Canada
- Associated Place (for map)
- Ontario, Canada
Members
Reviews
After reading Susannah Moodie's memoir of settling in Canada and absolutely hating it, I was dubious about committing myself to reading her sister's published letters on the same subject. I need not have worried, Catherine Parr Traill comes over as a much more pleasant person and I found myself agreeing wholeheartedly with many of her views of life in her new country. I share her obsessions with the wildlife and flora of Ontario and am equally fascinated by the weather and the formations of show more ice on waterways in the winter.Traill's attitude towards the native population was rather patronising, but typical of the time. It was interesting to read about Canada at a time less than 200 years ago when nearly everyone was a new immigrant and when buying land carried with it obligations as to clearing a certain proportion of it and maintaining or creating a road. It was a time when the main signs of civilisation in a new community were the presence of a grist mill and saw mill, followed by a store and, eventually, a place of worship. show less
The backwoods of Canada: being letters from the wife of an emigrant officer by Catharine Parr Traill
This is a very interesting and informative memoir of the wife of a British soldier. Mrs Parr Trail writes letters to family and friends back in the UK and describes the voyage across the Atlantic, the landing in Quebec City and the voyage through Montreal and then Ontario to their settlement near today's Peterborough. One of the reasons for publishing the memoir is to provide prospective emigrants with the real story of what life could be like if they should choose to settle in Canada. The show more life of the first settlers was not an easy one but with some funds, hard work and patience, it was possible to clear some land, build a suitable dwelling and put into crops to survive the first few years. The memoir is very positive and discusses what makes a good settler. She even handles the subject of class and warns those of the upper classes who are afraid of hard labour to stay home. Canada was a level playing field for immigrants from all classes and those who worked hard were successful, regardless of their backgrounds. Her writing is excellent and she describes the flora, fauna and natural environment with care. She also provides instructions on pickling, candle making, bread making.maple syrup etc show less
Canadian Crusoes: A Tale of the Rice Lake Plains (Centre for Editing Early Canadian Texts) by Catharine Parr Traill
An interesting novel about some teenagers lost in the woods and surviving over the winter. Besides the author's botanic intrusions, and her habit of saying "This happened where the ---town Methodist Church now stands," the story is fairly realistic (it was based on actual cases of survival), and doesn't pull punches regarding the fate of a young Indian woman among her tribe's enemies.
(Originally published in 1853 - the Alcuin Society's edition is based on an 1855 edition) 450 numbered copies in two parts folded and gathered loose folio sheets, both housed in green cloth double slipcase. The Society has 37 sets of Part One & Part Two which are contained in paper envelopes. Ideal for binding. Part One - 67 + colophon. Part Two - 55 + colophon.
A pioneer writer and botanist, Mrs. Traill wrote the Guide, based on her personal experiences, to provide essential information to show more English emigrants for a successful adjustment to Canada. show less
A pioneer writer and botanist, Mrs. Traill wrote the Guide, based on her personal experiences, to provide essential information to show more English emigrants for a successful adjustment to Canada. show less
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- Works
- 23
- Also by
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- Members
- 380
- Popularity
- #63,550
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 7
- ISBNs
- 80
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- Favorited
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