Augustus Bridle (4 March 1868 – 21 December 1952) was a Canadian journalist and author.
Augustus Bridle | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Portrait taken in 1929, from the M.O. Hammond fonds held at the Archives of Ontario. | |
| Born | Augustus John Bridle 4 March 1868 Cann, England, UK |
| Died | 21 December 1952 (aged 84) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | British Canadian |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, critic, editor |
| Known for | Founder of The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto |
| Children | 3, including Paul Augustus Bridle |
Biography
editBridle was born in the village of Cann in southern England. In 1878 he was part of the British home child program and was sent to Canada in 1878 by National Children's Home (now known as Action for Children).[1] After working on Ontario farms as a young boy, he went on to study at the University of Toronto, where he graduated with a gold medal in classics.[2]
He began his career in journalism with the Edmonton Bulletin while living at Edmonton, Alberta from 1900 to 1901.[2] He returned to Ontario in 1901, where he continued in newspaper work as a writer, first for the Stratford Herald and later for the Toronto News.[2][3] In 1908 he became the associate editor of the Canadian Courier, a national weekly magazine published in Toronto, continuing in this position until 1916 when he became editor.[3][4] He later joined the staff of the Toronto Daily Star in 1922, and served the newspaper for 30 years as music critic, book reviewer, and film and drama editor.[3][5][6]
In 1908, he became the founding member of The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto, which was noted as being a meeting place for the members of the Group of Seven.[5][7][8]
Bridle was the author of several books, including A Backwoods Christmas (Toronto 1910), Sons of Canada (Toronto 1916), Masques of Ottawa (Toronto 1921), Hansen: A Novel of Canadianization (Toronto 1924), and The Story of the Club (Toronto 1945).[3][5][6]
Works
edit- A Backwoods Christmas, (1910)
- Sons Of Canada, (1916)
- The Masques Of Ottawa, (1921) [written as: Domino]
- Hansen: A Novel Of Canadianization, (1924)
- The Story Of The Club, (1945) (Arts and Letters Club of Toronto)
- The Old 24th Of May
Source: [9]
References
edit- ^ "Augustus Bridle". British Home Child Registry. BHCARA. 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ a b c "Augustus Bridle". British Home Children in Canada. British Home Children Advocacy and Research Association. Spring 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Noted Critic of Music, Art: Augustus Bridle, 83, Dies". Toronto Daily Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 22 December 1952. p. 1,4.
- ^ "Toronto Critic Succumbs to Injury in Accident". The Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 22 December 1952. p. 14.
- ^ a b c "Mr. Bridle's Contributions". Toronto Daily Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 22 December 1952. p. 6.
- ^ a b Maud Maclean (19 June 2007). "Augustus Bridle". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ "Some interesting Club history". Arts and Letters Club Toronto. Arts and Letters Club. 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
On a blustery March night in 1908, a group of writers, musicians, architects, academics and supporters of the arts, encouraged by Augustus Bridle, a journalist covering the arts beat, met above a downtown restaurant to found an organization committed to championing of the arts in English-speaking Canada: The Arts & Letters Club of Toronto.
- ^ "Special Music Played at Augustus Bridle Rites". Toronto Daily Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 24 December 1952. p. 15.