Last year I wrote a post about my how for me St Patrick's Day is about celebrating the life of my great grandmother. As March 17th has drawn nearer, I have began once again to reflect on who she was and all that she accomplished. I met her many times as a child but I was far too young to actually remember her. Until I started my research, I knew her as a crotchety old lady who always seemed to be the center of family lore. I heard stories about how she proclaimed every Christmas would be her last, how she ironically turned an invite for afternoon tea into moving in for several years, and how she spared no mercy when it came to critiquing the decor in my grandparent's home. To this day, I am yet to hear my family tell a story which paints her in a favourable light. When I began researching her life I wasnt sure what I would find but I hoped that I could change my perception of her.
While searching through old Toronto Star and Globe and Mail newspapers, I found a story from March 1955 which described a side of her that I had never heard about. One of her eldest sons had been charged with a petty crime and she agreed to post the $500 (appx $5300 today) for his bail. However, her son was never released because he failed to show up for the bail hearing. She was outraged when she learned what happened and promptly demanded that the court (Metro) return her bail money. Even though the Metro claimed that they wanted to return the bail, they also claimed that they legally werent able to. The Metro Chairman is quoted for saying "send her a note and tell her that we did our best". Although they claimed that they tried, it was evident that they werent trying that hard. At the time there was no precedence or law which allowed bail to be refunded, and the Metro clearly wasnt eager about changing that - not even for a widow with two young children. It seemed as though they were set on their decision and werent willing to change.
Thankfully, Mary was never somebody who never backed down from a challenge and she certainly wasnt willing to back down from one that involved $500. She went to the papers and began to draw attention to her cause. Over the next several weeks, the newspapers began publishing headlines which repeatedly found fault on the part of the Metro. They accused the Metro of being "Legally Without Heart". Others focused on the facts: that the metro was unwilling to return money to a widow with young children. The articles went on to describe how she refused to back down even after repeatedly being told that the money could not be refunded. They described how with every rejection, she managed to come back with a stronger argument. They described how she forced the case from being a concern of the municipal courts all the way up to the federal level!
As attention began to grow, the Metro began trying to institute change. The Metro's Auditor attempted to justify why he refused to sign the check by saying "It is an unfortunate situation but we can do nothing about it". In response, two Alderman voiced alternative solutions. The first suggested that Mary become a temporary employee and be paid her $500 in the form of wages. As he phrased it "where there is a will there is a way. We have the $500 and that is why Im not being too technical about it". He did not go into detail on what the nature of this arrangement would look like, however it was insinuated that she would have to work to re-earn her money. Where as, the second Alderman took compassion of her cause and believed that the situation should undergo further consideration because "legislation should be sought to cover this cause".
On April 27 1955, it was announced that her bail money could be returned by writing to the Federal Minister of Justice. As a result of her determination and fight, she managed to get the Metro to change their mind and with it she set a new legal precedence. This was a story that my family never discussed, but it is one that has changed how I view and remember her. Today is St Patrick's day, but it is also would have been Mary's 114th birthday! So today in light of the shamrocks, beer, and all things green, I choose to celebrate her and how she fought for change!
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