University Women's Club of Toronto
{{Short description|Canadian organization}}{{Coord|43.667070|N|79.400028|W|scale:1000|display=title}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = The University Women’s Club of Toronto
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| abbreviation = UWC
| formation = 1903
| type = Women's educational organizations in Canada
| status = active
| purpose = advocate and public voice, educator and network
| headquarters = 41 Willcocks Street (c/o The Faculty Club)
| region_served = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| parent_organization = Canadian Federation of University Women
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| website = {{URL|https://www.uwctoronto.ca/}}
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The University Women's Club of Toronto is a Canadian organization that was founded in 1903 to promote women's education. Its parent organization is Canadian Federation of University Women.
History
The University Women's Club of Toronto was founded in 1903 by 22 women from seven universities, to promote women's education.{{Cite web |last=Gibson |first=Stacey |date=2013-06-19 |title=A Club for Women |url=https://magazine.utoronto.ca/campus/history/canadas-first-university-womens-club/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=University of Toronto Magazine |language=en-US}} They raised funds for scholarships, and provided a networking and social opportunity for women graduates.
They also organised campaigns on behalf of women, such as in 1907 when King's College Law School graduate Mabel French was refused entrance to the New Brunswick bar.{{Cite book |last=Converse |first=Cathy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u52kjmxFNF4C&dq=mabel+french+lawyer&pg=PA21 |title=Mainstays: Women who Shaped BC |date=1998 |publisher=TouchWood Editions |isbn=978-0-920663-62-2 |pages=21–22 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Stewart |first=Lee |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cSdmvNWe4Z4C&dq=mabel+french+lawyer&pg=PA23 |title=It's Up to You: Women at UBC in the Early Years |date=2011-11-01 |publisher=UBC Press |isbn=978-0-7748-4301-0 |pages=23 |language=en}} This led to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick passing "An Act to Remove the Disability of Women so far as Relates to the Study and Practice of the Law".{{Cite book |last=Kinnear |first=Mary |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oYLDE72wNVMC&dq=mabel+french+lawyer&pg=PA78 |title=In Subordination: Professional Women, 1870-1970 |date=1995 |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP |isbn=978-0-7735-1278-8 |pages=79 |language=en}}
Margaret Robertson Watt from the Women's Institute in England spoke to the club in 1919 about her work.{{Cite news |date=1919-11-04 |title=Social and Personal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-victoria-daily-times-social-and-pers/141871645/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |work=The Victoria Daily Times |pages=6 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1921, the club's vice-president, May Skinner, delivered an address to Marie Curie, at the Canadian Federation at a meeting in Niagara Falls.{{Cite news |date=1921-05-30 |title=Address to Mme. Curie; Miss May Skinner to Make Presentation at Niagara |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-address-to-mme-curie-miss/141871286/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |work=The Gazette |pages=4 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1922, the club sent 22 delegates to an international meeting of university women's clubs in Paris.{{Cite news |date=1922-05-31 |title=Two for Presidency of University Women |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-two-for-presidency-of-u/141869966/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |work=The Toronto Star |pages=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}
In 1929, the club began planning for a new clubhouse location;{{Cite news |date=1929-05-31 |title=University Women Completing Plans New Club House |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-university-women-comple/141871994/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |work=The Toronto Star |pages=22 |via=Newspapers.com}} they bought a mansion later that year, at 162 St. George Street. The club hosted prominent speakers and celebrated women's academic achievement, for example when it honored paleontologist Madeleine Fritz in 1940, after she became a fellow of the Geological Society of America.{{Cite news |date=1940-01-22 |title=Social and Personal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montreal-star-social-and-personal/141872449/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |work=The Montreal Star |pages=17 |via=Newspapers.com}}
The club sold its building on St. George Street in 2010, and began using the Faculty Club at the University of Toronto as its meeting space. The club marked its 120th year in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Hailey |date=September 14, 2023 |title=University Women's Club of Toronto celebrates 120 years |url=http://gleanernews.ca/index.php/2023/09/14/news-university-womens-club-of-toronto-celebrates-120-years-summer-2023/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=Gleaner Community Press}}
References
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External links
{{Archival records|title=University Women's Club of Toronto fonds|location=|inventory_number=Fonds 293|description_URL=http://gencat.eloquent-systems.com/torontodetail.html?key=286848|dates=|access_conditions=}}
- [https://cfuw.org/ Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW)]
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Category:Organizations established in 1903
Category:Women's organizations based in Canada
Category:Organizations based in Toronto
Category:Educational organizations based in Ontario
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