Duncan, Sara Jeannette National Historic Person
Brantford, Ontario
Sara Jeannette Duncan
(© Johnston and Hoffman / Library and Archives Canada | Bibliothèque et Archives Canada / C-046447)
Address :
96 West Street, Brantford, Ontario
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
2014-09-30
Life Date:
1861 to 1922
Other Name(s):
-
Duncan, Sara Jeannette
(Designation Name)
-
Grafton, Garth
(Historic Name)
-
Cotes, Sara Jeannette
(Other Name)
-
Duncan, Sarah Janet
(Other Name)
Research Report Number:
2012-04
Importance:
A well-known figure both in Canadian literature and in the history of women in journalism.
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: 96 West Street, Brantford, Ontario
Pioneering journalist in the late 19th century, Sara Jeannette Duncan challenged social and political norms by examining women’s changing roles, the need for a national culture, and the way Canadian politics worked. After she left Canada in 1890, she lived in India and England, and wrote more than 20 popular books. Known for astute social observation and her skilful use of irony and wit, she produced realistic novels with strong female characters. The Imperialist (1904), a Canadian classic, featured a fictionalized portrait of her hometown of Brantford and incisive commentary on the political complexities of her time.