Hall of Fame Award (Posthumous) | 2012

Catharine Parr Traill authored twenty-four books that examined a range of subjects, including her life as an immigrant in Upper Canada, natural history, botany, and children’s stories. Raised in the English countryside in Suffolk, Traill and her husband, Thomas, immigrated to Upper Canada in 1832, settling near Peterborough. Traill was inspired to write about her experiences living in the “backwoods” of Canada so that other female migrants from the United Kingdom might acclimate more easily. It was hoped that funds from the book’s publication would help support the struggling Traill family. A domestic manual of sorts, it provides instruction on local foodstuffs and their use and how to effectively manage a rural Canadian household. Many of the recipes in the guide were influenced by the foodways of other immigrants and the Anishinaabeg. Considered to be the most authentic portrayal of Ontario foodways prior to Confederation, Traill’s recipes were practical, affordable, and used ingredients that were available to most settlers. She concentrated on dishes that were largely unfamiliar to those born outside of Canada, such as supporne (a thick porridge made from cornmeal) and broiled squirrel. The Female Emigrant’s Guide was originally issued in four parts and was sold by subscription to cover the cost of the paper before the publisher committed to printing the book. Early copies of this book, including the first edition, are rare. Part Two, published in January 1855 and featured in this case, is one of only two extant copies.

Parr Traill, Catherine. The Female Emigrant's Guide, and Hints on Canadian Housekeeping. Toronto: Maclear and Company, 2nd part January 18, 1855. Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library (ASC s0091b03).