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Faith Fyles: Canadian Botanist and Painter

This article was originally written and submitted as part of a Canada 150 Project, the Innovation Storybook, to crowdsource stories of Canadian innovation with partners across Canada. The content has since been migrated to Ingenium’s Channel, a digital hub featuring curated content related to science, technology and innovation.

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Sep 14, 2015
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Profile picture for user Carleton University
By: Carleton University
Faith Fyles (c.1913) Topley Studio, Library and Archives Canada, PA-204727
Faith Fyles (c.1913) Topley Studio, Library and Archives Canada, PA-204727

Story by: Beth Robertson

Faith Fyles, B.A. (1875-1961) was a professional botanist in early twentieth-century Canada. Fyles had been educated at McGill, where she studied under Professor Carrie Derick—another exceptional woman botanist who no doubt inspired Fyles to pursue a career in the field. In 1910, Fyles obtained employment as an assistant seed analyst with the federal Department of Agriculture, a job characterized as “women’s work” at the time. She transferred to the Central Experimental Farm the next year in 1911 to become an Assistant Botanist in charge of the Botanical Gardens and the Herbarium. Fyles was more than qualified for the post, but considering that many other, equally-educated women were regularly denied positions of similar standing, her appointment was nothing short of extraordinary. Fyles proved to be an invaluable hire. She successfully performed her duties as a botanist, while conducting useful field work, wrote Principal Poisonous Plants of Canada for the Department in 1920, and assisted her colleagues through her gifts as an artist. Her paintings of various plant specimens have become a hallmark of the Canadian Agricultural and Food Museum collection in Ottawa. Fyles continued her scientific research at the Farm for the duration of her long career until she retired in 1931.

Note: This is a portion of another entry that appears in an ActiveHistory exhibit on “Science, Technology and Gender” http://www.activehistoryexhibits.ca/exhibits/show/science-technology-and-gender/life-on-canvas–hidden-histori

Further reading:

Amber Loydlangston, “Women in Botany and the Canadian Federal Department of Agriculture,” Scientia Canadiensis 29, 2 (2006): 99-130

Painting of Ontario Apple (c.1921), Ingenium, Collections and Research, 1987.2302.001

Painting of Prince X Simbirsk Pear (c.1930), Ingenium, Collections and Research, 1987.2452.001

Painting of Senator Dunlop Strawberry (c.1920), Ingenium, Collections and Research, 1987.2490.001

Painting of Early Black Edwards Berry (c.1930), Ingenium, Collections and Research, 1987.2509.001

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Profile picture for user Carleton University
Carleton University
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Situated on unceded Algonquin territory beside the historic Rideau Canal, an official UNESCO World Heritage Site, Carleton University was founded by the community in 1942 to meet the needs of veterans returning from the Second World War.

Carleton University is a community of talented, committed and enthusiastic faculty and staff, dedicated to excellence and to supporting the education and research that distinguishes Carleton as Canada’s Capital University. We know that it is our people that are key to Carleton’s success.

https://carleton.ca/

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