The story of Nora

Bateson

NORA BATESON

b. 1896 Chequerbent, Westhoughton,

England; d. 1956 Rhyl, Wales

Education:

B.A. (Hons.Hist.) 1917 (Manchester);

Diploma in Librarianship 1929 (Pratt);

M.A. (Hist.) 1933 (McGill)

1920: Teacher, Kings Hall, Compton, Quebec

1922-28: Library Clerk Ontario Legislative Library

1929: McGill University Library Summer School

1929-30: Reference Librarian, University of British Columbia

1931: Librarian, Fraser Valley Library Demonstration

1932-33: Professor, McGill University Library School

1933-36: Director, Prince Edward Island Library Demonstration

1936-38: Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore

1938-45: Director of Libraries, Nova Scotia

1945-47: Director of Home Reading Dept., Detroit Public Library

1947-48: Senior Lecturer, New Zealand Library School

1948-53: Acting Director & Director, New Zealand Library School

In January 1956, a brief letter to the Halifax Chronicle newspaper

(Nova Scotia, Canada) drew attention to the untimely passing of Miss

Nora Bateson, a librarian “famous for pioneering work” in many parts

of the British Commonwealth. With deep respect the author –

philosopher George Grant, went on to reflect that those “who had the

privilege to know Miss Bateson will always think of her spirit as ‘a

shining sword, which never faltered in the faith that it is only the truth

which makes men free.’ ” The subject of this stirring prose was a small,

feisty, principled and passionate woman whose life’s work had a

lasting impact on the library profession in Canada, Jamaica and New

Zealand.

Nora Bateson was not one to hide her light under a bushel, yet the

documentary record of her life and labours is surprisingly uneven.

Despite an extraordinary globe-spanning career, her accomplishments

were unknown to near neighbours in her retirement years.

After the Pretoria disaster of 21st December

1910

Alfred Joseph Tonge felt he could no longer

stay in Chequerbent, and on the 28th June

1912 he sailed for Glace Bay, Nova Scotia.

He became the General Superintendent for the

Dominion Coal Company

They operated 17 collieries, including New

Waterford