Women's Work Stories
Dr. Robert J. Morgan
It is only in recent years that a full appreciation of the work of women through the ages has developed. In Cape Breton, where men were regularly out to sea, in the mines, or in the woods, women had to run the household and often generate supplementary income. In cases where their spouses died at sea, they became the sole provider and caregiver. We see this in the picture painted of a day in the life of Douce Belhaché, who ran a shipping business from the Strait of Canso with links to Sydney, Mabou and the Channel Islands.
What sometimes began as a household task often grew into important means of family and regional income. In the story of rughooking in Chéticamp, we see that the task was at first a way of protecting one’s feet from cold floors. Soon, women recognized as outstanding artists were producing rugs for patrons across Canada – people like Annie Chiasson and Catherine Poirier. The rugs became so popular that their production was critical to family survival in many households during the Great Depression – and the work was undertaken by men as well as women. In Chéticamp today, hooked rugs continue to form an important part of the economy.
In any urban environment, women’s early job opportunities were largely restricted to cleaning and cooking. The gradual expansion of opportunities is traced in Women’s Work in Whitney Pier, a working class section of Sydney which developed alongside the steel plant in 1899. From catering to building the plant to laundry and sewing services, as boardinghouse keepers or owners, women were seeking and finding new roles in the paid economy, meaningful work and a new sense of financial independence. Women gradually began entering early rural and professional occupations and were soon operating switchboards, teaching classes, and opening small stores and businesses.
In addition to maintaining households and earning a living, women have regularly been called upon as the backbone of our communities. On this website we draw attention to Katharine McLennan, a champion of libraries, who was responsible for the creation of North America’s greatest historical reconstruction, the Fortress of Louisbourg. And Terry MacLellan; more than a media personality, she infused the island with her charm, optimism and support of countless community projects. These women exemplified a pride of place, an insurmountable spirit, and a penchant for historical preservation, tourism and culture, and volunteerism.
© C@P Society of Cape Breton County, 2009
