Through Canada with a Kodak

by Ishbel Hamilton-Gordon, Marjory Harper (Editor)

'...sledges with metal runners called 'toboggans' are prepared...the young people of Quebec amuse themselves by shooting down one after another, and sliding away far across the smooth surface of the river below. Oh, the fun these Canadians have in winter...'

285 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1994

About the author

Ishbel Maria Hamilton-Gordon, Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair, GBE (née Isabel[a] Maria Marjoribanks; 1857 – 1939) was a Scottish author, philanthropist, and an advocate of woman's interests. As the wife of John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair, she was viceregal consort of Canada from 1893 to 1898 and of Ireland from 1906-1915.

Lord Aberdeen belonged to the Liberal Party, and when it regained power in parliament in 1906 he was named the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for the second time. He had previously been Lord Lieutenant, or viceroy, for approximately six months in 1886. During that time, Lady Aberdeen had promoted Irish crafts and became chairman of the Association of Irish Industries.

Their second term in Ireland lasted from 1906 to 1915, and this time she focused on healthcare and social well-being. Lady Aberdeen was involved with medical organizations like the Women’s National Health Association of Ireland that were dedicated to treating and preventing tuberculosis and improving children’s health. Her name lives on in Lady Ishbel Avenue, part of the former Purdysburn Fever Hospital site in south Belfast.

In 1911 she served as the first president of the Housing and Town Planning Association of Ireland, advocating for better housing and public spaces to address the prevalent poverty. Lady Aberdeen's Cottages in Mullingar are named after her. Although she had been quite popular during her first stint in Ireland, she faced a different reception upon her return.