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- Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the fonds.
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Dates of creation area
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1852, [187-?] (Creation)
- Creator
- Moodie, Susanna
Physical description area
Physical description
2 items
5 watercolours
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Biographical history
Susanna Moodie (nee Strickland), born December 6, 1803 at Bungay, England, was the youngest daughter of Thomas Strickland and Elizabeth Homer. The Strickland's were a literary family of whom Catharine Parr Traill and Samuel Strickland are best known in Canada, as well as their sister Susanna Moodie. Susanna began to seriously pursue her literary career in 1818, after the death of her father. In 1831, Susanna moved to London, England were she became associated with the Anti-Slavery Society. For the society she wrote two antislavery tracts, "The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave" (1831) and "Negro Slavery Described by a Negro" (1831). While working in London, she met her future husband John Wedderburn Dunbar Moodie. They were wed April 4, 1831. In July 1832, Susanna, John, and their eldest child emigrated to the Cobourg region of Upper Canada. After two unsuccessful attempts at farming in this area, the Moodie family moved to Belleville in 1840. In Belleville, Susanna wrote and published a number of works, primarily romantic fiction. From 1847 to 1848, both Susanna and her husband edited and wrote for Victoria Magazine. In 1852, she published Roughing it in the Bush which is her best known literary work. The books to follow included Life in the Clearings, published in 1853, and Flora Lyndsay, published in 1854. Susanna Moodie lived in Belleville until the death of her husband in 1869. She then moved to the Toronto area where she continued to live until her death, April 8, 1885.
Custodial history
The items in 69-1001 and 89-1062 remained with the descendants of the Moodie family until they were donated to Trent University by Mrs. Graeme Gorrie of Anna Maria Island, Florida, United States of America in 1964. The watercolours in 11-004 were in the custody of Katherine Jane (Currier) Hull before it was donated to Trent University Archives in 2010 via Brian Hull.
Scope and content
Fonds consists of two letters and 5 watercolour paintings. One letter is from Susanna Moodie to Mrs. Katie Vickery, Susanna Moodie's daughter, which is undated. The second letter is from Moodie's her publisher in England congratulating her upon the success of Roughing it in the Bush and enclosing a contract for a subsequent book entitled _Mark Huddleston. The watercolour paintings are by Susanna Moodie and all depict flowers.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Accessions 69-1001 and 89-1062 were donated by Mrs. Graeme Gorrie, a descendant of the Moodie family, in 1964. One letter, added 17 February 1983, was donated by Professor M. Peterman.
Accession 11-0004 was acquired in 2010 from Katherine Jane (Currier) Hull.
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Finding aids
Associated materials
Additional information on Susanna Moodie may be found at Library and Archives Canada. See Traill Family Collection (MG 29, D81) and Moodie, Susanna (MG 29, D100).
For related records see: 74-003, 83-1021, 93-1013 and 96-008.