Who was Nellie McClung?
Nellie McClung was a feminist, author, social activist and Canadian politician. He formed “The Famous Five” with four other women in 1927 to support the recognition of women as qualified persons. He also participated in social and moral reforms during the early 1900s.
Early years and childhood
Nellie McClung was born in October 20, 1873, as Nellie Letitia Mooney at Chatsworth, Ontario. She was the last born in a family of six children raised by their parents John Mooney and Letitia McCurdy. Raised by a Methodist father and a Presbyterian mother of Scottish descent, his whole family appreciated the Christian virtues, including hard work, education and discipline. Nellie’s family moved in and settled on a farm in Manitoba in 1880, where she later became a women’s rights activist, legislator, author and lecturer.
Political life and activism
In 1912, he founded the PEL (Political Equality League) with the support of other educated activists, including Lillian Thomas, Dr. Amelia Yeoman, Francis Marion, Hind and Winona Margaret Dixon. Later he published In Times Like These , a volume known in 1915. He brought together all declarations of war, quotations from the PEL, feminists and speculations on temperance. As a legislator, he supported the enforcement of liquor control laws in his province. The province then repealed the ban and approved the sale of the government in 1923. Later he went to Calgary, where his husband was given a job transfer. He competed in a provincial office in 1926 but unfortunately lost.
The Famous Five
Nellie was among the “famous five” Canadian women who were opposed to claims that women could not be named as judges and senators. Those who supported the idea of preventing women from being named in these positions said that women were not recognized as “people”. The official recognition of women as “people” according to the law began in October 18, 1929.
Years after
Wesley, Nellie’s husband, received another job transfer in 1932 and moved to Victoria. Later he retired in 1933, and Nellie remained active and alert. She was named as one of the Canadian delegates to represent the country in the League of Nations in 1938. She addressed social issues, focusing on women and children, and published her latest book, The Stream Flows Fast, in 1945. She died in September 1, 1951, in Victoria, British Columbia.
