Mary Louisa Maclagan

Dates: 
7 May 1853 – 29 September 1943

Mrs Maclagan was born, Mary Louisa Kerr, on 7th May 1853 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Her father, Archibald Kerr, born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, made his fortune as a merchant in Canada; he was involved in the establishment of the Canada Life Assurance Company. Mary’s mother, Catherine Maclaren was the sister of William Paterson Maclaren, originally from Stirling, who became a member of the business elite of Upper Canada.

In 1885 Mary was a founding member, along with Patrick Geddes, of the Edinburgh Social Union (ESU), a philanthropic organisation established to improve living conditions in slum areas of the city through housing provision, education and training, and the decoration of public spaces. She was an active member of the ESU’s Guild of Women Bookbinders, which met regularly at the Dean Studio under the guidance of Phoebe Traquair; and she was an accomplished woodcarver.

For further information see entry for Mary Dalrymple Maclagan.