After Lucy Maud Montgomery married Ewan Macdonald in July
5th, 1911 on Prince Edward Island, the newly married couple moved to the
small village of Leaskdale, Ontario. While Ewan served as a minister with
the St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Leaskdale and a church in Zephyr,
Maud supported him as a minister's wife. She also continued to write as
a popular author.
Maud's novels written at the dining-room in this manse are: _The Golden Road_ (1913), _Anne of the Island_ (1915), _Anne's House of Dreams_ (1917), _Rilla of Ingleside_ (1920), _Emily of New Moon_ (1923), _Emily Climbs_(1925), and _The Blue castle_ (1926).
During the Leaskdale period, Maud's sons were born: Chester
Cameron on July 7, 1912, Hugh Alexander (died at birth on 13 August, 1914),
and Ewan Stuart on Oct. 7, 1915.
According to Maud, the manse is "quite prettily
situated. It is not an ideal house by any means, but it will do, and it
is certainly much more comfortable and convenient than my old home. It
is built of white brick in the ugly 'L' design so common among country
houses. My geatest disappointment in connection with it is that it has
no bathroom or toilet. I had hoped that I might have a home with
these at least. But what is to be will be! It is Allah! We must submit."
(The Selected Journals of L. M. Montgomery,Volume II :1910-1921. Page
82.)
Lucy Maud Manse Fundraising
The Leaskdale Manse is now in the process of being restored as a museum
by the people of the township of Uxbridge. Wilda Clark, an 83 year old
local resident, and the members of L.M. Montgomery Committee are leaders
of this project. If you would like to support the Lucy Maud Manse Fundraising,
please send a cheque to:
The Corporation of the Township of Uxbridge
P. O. Box 190
51 Toronto Street South
Uxbridge, Ontario
L9P 1T1
Attention: Ron Mitchell, Treasurer
All cheques should be made payable to The Corporation of the Township
of Uxbridge. Official tax receipts will be issued by the Township. When
forwarding contributions reference should be made to "Lucy Maud Manse
Fundraising".
Lucy Maud Manse designated as an historic site
The Canadian federal government has recognized the Lucy Maud Manse as
an important historic site. After more than a decade of letter campaigns
and fundraising activities by the people of Uxbridge & Leaskdale, the
LMM manse was finally recognized by the National Historic and monuments
Board in February 1997.
The Uxbridge township now can apply for federal grants to help restore the manse into an LMM museum.
However, most government contributions are in the form of matching funds so your donation is now more important than ever.
Uxbridge-Scott Museum on Quaker Hill has a large
display dedicated to Lucy Maud Montgomery including a portrait of Maud.
The curator, Allan McGillivray, now lives in Winnowing Studio which is
the former St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Zephyr. This is the place that
Ewan Macdonald and Maud prayed with the Zephyr congregation.
How to get to Uxbridge & Leaskdale: From downtown Toronto to Uxbridge,
take Hwys. 401 and 48 to Ringwood (North of Markham), then take Hwy. 47
to Uxbridge.
From Uxbridge to Leaskdale, take Durham region road No.1 to Leaskdale.
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LMM News99 & 2000 & 2001&2002
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