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Writing women's history... one mother at a time... since 2004.

The Originals

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In 2004, when Marilyn Norry made the original request for stories from her friends (women actors in Vancouver), she said these stories would be published in a book. Here it is! 

My Mother’s Story: the originals

The first 39 mother stories written for My Mother’s Story. Even though the writers are all actors living in Vancouver, BC, it can be seen through these stories that their mothers come from the whole world, from most races, and, with birth dates that range from 1892 to 1954, the history of women in the 20th century is told in their lives.

Our mothers experienced great wealth, crushing poverty, all forms of sanity, insanity, addictions, artistry, heartbreak and joy. In each story the daughter seeks to tell the truth without judgment, writing what she knows, what she doesn’t know, and what she thinks might be important.

There are tales of harrowing wartime escapes, arranged marriages, adoptions, joyous births, tragic deaths, joyous deaths, tragic births, and lives of exemplary service and of quiet desperation. These personal snapshots reveal that, contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a generic mother, or a generic woman. Each life is absolutely unique, following a distinct path of cause and effect, with some fate thrown in.

Through the clear voice of each writer, we see a myriad of primary relationships at play throughout each life and also glean facets of the mother/daughter relationship by what the daughter chooses to say about her mother, and what she chooses to omit.

All proceeds from My Mother’s Story: the originals go to Mothership Stories Society to encourage women and men around the world to tell the stories of their mothers.

Stories Featured

Micki Maunsell – Amy – born 1890 Tasmania
Mary Monks – Lily Rose – born 1892 London England
Joy Coghill – Dorothy – born 1894 London England
Ann Warn Pegg – Phyllis – born 1909 Vancouver BC Canada
Jennifer Griffin – Hilda – born 1914 Manchester England
Wendy Gorling – Norma – born 1916 Regina Saskatchewan Canada
Trish Allen – Gladys – born 1917 Sarnia Ontario Canada
Colleen Winton – Doris – born 1917 New Westminster BC Canada
Dolores Drake – Margerite – born 1918 St. Lawrence Newfoundland Can
Louise Phillips – Mary – born 1920 Dovercourt Essex England
Marion Eisman – Phyliss – born 1920 Johannesburg South Africa
Candace O’Connor – Jo – born 1920 Rosetown Saskatchewan Can
Susanna Uchatius – Maria – born 1921 Vienna Austria
Bev Sauvé – Dorothy – born 1922 Fort William Ontario Canada
Kim Seary – Patricia – born 1924 Grays Essex England
Frances Flanagan – Wilamina – born 1924 Momart Saskatchewan Can
Christine Willes – Darling – born 1927 Regina Saskatchewan Canada
Eileen Barrett – Betty – born 1927 Deadwater England
Glynis Davies – Phyllis – born 1929 Kings Norton England
Wendy Noel – Doris – born 1929 Edmonton Alberta Canada
Patti Allan – Betty – born 1929 Vancouver BC Canada
Sarah Hayward – Patsy – born 1929 Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
Lisa Bunting – Bodil – born 1930 Malmo Sweden
Marilyn Norry – Jean – born 1930 Adolphustown Ontario Canada
Ruth McIntosh – Maureen – born 1930 Lancashire England
Valerie Sing Turner – Nancy – born 1931 West Saanich BC Canada
Khaira Ledeyo – Nhan – born 1931 Ha Dong North Viet Nam
Marcy Goldberg – Reita – born 1932 Vancouver BC Canada
Julia Arkos – Julia – born 1933 Szarvas Hungary
Beverley Elliott– Ramona/Betty – born 1933 Listowel Ontario
Tanja Dixon Warren – Jane – born 1935 London England
Angela Parsons – Ada – born 1935 Barbados West Indies
Bonnie Hay – Anne – born 1936 Hubbard Saskatchewan Canada
Sharon Heath – Laurel – born 1936 Port Hardy BC Canada
Natalie Gibson – Mary – born 1938 Sophia Township, South Africa
Nimet Kanji – Zarina – born 1940 Nairobi Kenya
Jennifer Juniper Angeli – Emma – born 1941 Boston Massachusetts USA
Christie Will – Peggy – born 1950 Dundas Ontario Canada
Andee Frizzell – Mary – born 1954 Charlottetown PEI Canada

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