User:Paolaagp/Helen Gregory MacGill

Early years
Helen Gregory MacGill was a Canadian musician, journalist, judge, and feminist born in Hamilton on January 7 of 1864. The daughter of Emma O’Reilly and Silas Gregory was also a reporter and a judge that was appointed judge of the Juvenile Court of Vancouver for 23 years.

Education
Helen Gregory MacGill became the first woman to receive a Bachelor of Music from Trinity College. She also received a Master of Arts from this institution. These achievements led her to become the first woman in the British Empire that earned a degree in music.

Life as a journalist
As part of her job as a foreign correspondent for Cosmopolitan magazine, she had as her first assignment the interview leading members of parliament of Japan in 1890. (Foster, 2004) She also made some articles for Toronto Globe and wrote for some other magazines and papers like the Vancouver Daily World and People’s Magazine.

Life as a judge
As part of her political and social role, Helen was involved in the legal and political realities of British Columbia. As chairman of the Laws Committee of the University Women’s club, she was concerned about the situation of domestic legislation in the province This situation led her to learn on his own about the subject, and then she self-published the book Daughters, wives and mothers in British Columbia as a guidebook with the laws regarding the topic.

Helen Gregory MacGill became the first British Columbia female judge in 1917 and the third in Canada. She served as a juvenile court judge from 1917 to 1929. Then from 1934 to 1945. After 23 years of service, she retired at age of 81.

As part of her legacy, she contributed to the study of the field of juvenile delinquency. Also, she worked for improvements in the social welfare system. 

Life as a feminist
Helen was a feminist within the system that rejected radical feminism and believed that the role of a mother was the one that should allow women to be part of the public sphere. During her life, she advocated for women’s rights, like the right to vote, and she also fought for inclusive changes for women and children from the legal reform perspective.

Death
Helen MacGill passed away on the 27 of February of 1947 in Chicago- Illinois at the age of 83 years old.