Robertine Barry

Robertine Barry (26 February 1863 – 7 January 1910), pseudonym Françoise, was an early French Canadian journalist and publisher and a popular member of Montreal society.

Robertine Barry
Robertine Barry (Françoise) by Query Freres, Quebec
Born	Robertine Barry 26 February 1863 Les Escoumins, Province of Canada
Died	7 January 1910 Montreal, Quebec
Nationality	Canadian
Occupation	journalist publisher

Robertine Barry.

Robertine Barry was a member of the first presidential board, of the Fédération nationale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montréal, 1907.

Early life

Robertine Barry was born in L’Île-Verte, Lower Canada to John Edmond Barry and Aglaée Rouleau.^[1] The couple had thirteen children.^[1]

John Edmond Barry eventually rose to local political prominence.^[1]

Aglaée Rouleau was a native of L’Île-Verte.^[1]

Barry attended elementary school in Les Escoumins from 1868 to 1873, and was a day student at the Couvent Jésus-Marie in Trois-Pistoles.^[1] From September 1880 to July 1882 she wrote for the student newspaper while at boarding school in Quebec.^[1] Barry often felt stifled by the rules of convent education and was often reprimanded for bad behavior.^[2] Barry graduated at age 20.^[2]

Barry was not interested in marriage. As she explained, "I am not among those who consider marriage as the goal to which must be devoted a lifetime of noble efforts."^[2]

Career

Inspired by the success of French journalist Séverine, Barry set her sights on a career as a journalist.^[2]

In 1891, Barry published her first pieces for La Patrie of Montreal under the pen name Françoise.^[1] The name honored Saint Francis de Sales and indirectly honored Barry's sister Evelyn who had taken holy orders on the feast day of Francis de Sales.^[3]

Barry's first article was on the importance of female education and it challenged the Catholic Church's control over schools.^[2] The article set off a firestorm.^[2] Honoré Beaugrand was her editor.^[1][2]

From 21 September 1891 to 5 March 1900, Barry wrote a weekly column for La Patrie under her pen name.^[1] Barry was the first French-Canadian woman hired to work full-time by a Quebec newspaper.^[3]

During the summer of 1895, Barry vacationed in Halifax and spotted the bell of the Fortress of Louisbourg in a local pharmacy.^[3] Barry used her column in La Patrie to organize a successful fundraising campaign to buy the bell.^[3] The bell is currently displayed at the Chateau de Ramezay.^[3]

Barry published Le Journal de Françoise, a bimonthly review from 1902 to 1909.^[2] The magazine, subtitled "Le Gazette canadienne de la famille", offered a wide variety of features intended primarily for women.^[3] The magazine also reflected Barry's interest in literature, publishing works of distinguished Quebec writers such as Laure Conan, Juliette Adam, Marie Gérin-Lajoie, Louis Fréchette and Émile Nelligan.^[1][2] Many female journalists in Quebec got their first break writing for Le Journal de Françoise.^[3]

Legacy

Barry is one of eight finalists for the $5 polymer bills in Canada.^[4]