October 24: LAUNCH for Ian Macdonald and Betty O’Keefe’s “Quiet Reformers” in Victoria
On Sunday, October 24, Ian Macdonald and Betty O’Keefe will launch Quiet Reformers. The celebration begins at 2:00 pm and is at the Church of Our Lord, 626 Blanshard St., Victoria, BC. R.S.V.P. to Sylvia Van Kirk at sylvansea@shaw.ca or 250-385-0894.
Ian Macdonald was born and educated in Glasgow. After immigrating to Canada, he worked as a reporter and was Ottawa correspondent for the Sun for five years before becoming press officer for Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. He made an award-winning documentary film, and then turned seriously to the writing of history.
Betty O’Keefe was born in Vancouver and wrote for the Province newspaper for several years. She then moved into public relations. In 1988 she opened her own communications company, but decided that her real interest was in writing history. Together, Betty O’Keefe and Ian Macdonald have co-authored a eleven books.
Their latest book, Quiet Reformers, is a lively biography of Bishop Edward Cridge and his wife Mary. It paints a vivid picture of early Victoria as it developed from an isolated Hudson’s Bay Company post into the bustling capitol of British Columbia.
Recruited from England by Governor James Douglas in 1854 to be the Church of England chaplain of Fort Victoria, Edward Cridge became an important figure in the spiritual life of the city. The Cridges also became Victoria’s foremost social reformers, leaving an indelible mark on British Columbia’s social institution.
“Bishop Edward Cridge and his beloved wife Mary are two of the most interesting characters from the turbulent years of British Columbia’s early history. Meticulously researched and written with eloquence and grace. Quiet Reformers provides a stirring testament to their legacy that anyone who cares about B.C. will want on their bookshelf.”
— STEPHEN HUME, AUTHOR OF SIMON FRASER: IN SEARCH OF MODERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
