
Margaret McMicking was involved in many aspects of community life in Victoria. She helped create or was an integral member of the Local Council of Women, Friendly Help, the Victoria Literary Society, the King’s Daughters, the Burn’s Club, the Historical Society, the Alexandra Club, the Authors’ Club, the Navy League, and the International Order of the Daughters of the Empire. In addition she published a number of books. However, she derived much of her pleasure from the musical and theatrical scene of Victoria. Her disdain for the state of Victoria’s theatrical scene and moving pictures is evident in her comment, “I wish we could go back to the days of fine legitimate drama, instead of the silly, flimsy things we see now on the stage and in moving pictures.” (4)
Margaret’s dislike of moving pictures may be but one aspect of her fondness for the days of old Victoria. Her scrapbooks, written in the early 20th century are full of nostalgic memories of Victoria. Several articles and clippings in these scrapbooks relate to her involvement with St. Andrew’s Church which she obviously treasured along with markings of milestones in Robert McMicking‘s career as a telephone and electricity pioneer.
A proud imperialist, she often impersonated Queen Victoria during civic celebrations.
(1) British Colonist, “50 Years Ago Today,” Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers, September 14th 1913.
(2) The Pioneer Women of Vancouver Island, 248.
(3) ibid
(4) ibid
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