KENILWORTH – Plans are underway for a historic plaque in Arthur honouring early Canadian feminist Margarette Rae Morrison Luckock.
At its Sept. 9 meeting, Wellington North council approved a motion to set aside $11,000 in the 2025 budget for a Heritage Trust Provincial Plaque to be installed next to one in honour of Rae Luckock’s father, James Morrison.
Rae Luckock, who grew up in the Arthur area, in 1943 was one of the first two women elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The other was Agnes Macphail.
According to the National Library of Canada, Rae Luckock was introduced to political activism by Morrison, who was one of the founders of the United Farmers of Ontario party.
She married tool and die maker Richard Luckock in 1914, and later became active in the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), serving on the executive and promoting the party.
She ran six times for trustee of the Toronto School Board before finally defeating the incumbent in 1943, but resigned that position when she ran successfully in the provincial general election that same year.
Rae Luckock served as the CCF’s education critic, advocating for funding for university scholarships and improving rural education. She also promoted equal pay for equal work and advocated for paying homemakers for work done in the home.
At an April council meeting, councillor Sherry Burke made a motion asking township staff to investigate the feasibility of having a plaque commissioned in Rae Luckock’s memory.
In May, a submission was made to the Ontario Heritage Trust plaque program, and in August, the township learned the program would remain open until Sept. 30.
“As criteria of the program, the municipality must make a $6,500 minimum” contribution, states the staff report.
“It has been suggested that the plaque be installed adjacent to her father’s plaque on George Street.”
The $11,000 budgeted includes the $6,500 contribution toward the sign, plus $4,500 for new brickwork to replace an existing stone walkway around the Morrison plaque.
