14 Facts About Barbara Hanley

Barbara McCallum Hanley was a Canadian politician, who served as mayor of Webbwood, Ontario, from 1936 to 1944.

Barbara Hanley married Joseph Hanley, a Canadian Pacific Railway foreman, on 27 August 1913.

Barbara Hanley subsequently served on the public school board from 1923 to 1935, and then served one year on the town council.

Barbara Hanley was cofounder of a local theatre troupe, the Webbwood Dramatic Society.

On January 6,1936, Hanley defeated Robert E Streich in Webbwood's mayoral election.

Barbara Hanley was named one of that year's outstanding women by The New York Sun; she was the only Canadian named to the list, alongside figures such as Wallis Simpson, Florence Prag Kahn, Irene Joliot-Curie, Cecile Brunschvicg, Sally Salminen, Ruth Bryan Owen and Mary Ritter Beard.

Barbara Hanley disliked being included in the same list as Simpson, but otherwise took the honour in good spirits.

Barbara Hanley's position was that she offered no apology for either criticism, although she then faced some additional controversy for a comment which singled out bachelor men as being uniquely ill-equipped to judge the abilities of women.

Barbara Hanley faced Streich for a second time in the 1937 election, winning by a slightly larger margin of 86 votes to Streich's 66.

Barbara Hanley served as mayor of Webbwood until 1944, winning eight consecutive elections, sometimes by acclamation.

Barbara Hanley spoke out against the forced sterilization of people with developmental disabilities, and encouraged young women to pursue professional careers.

Barbara Hanley was buried in her hometown of Burk's Falls.

Barbara Hanley remains the longest-serving mayor in the history of Webbwood, which was dissolved into the larger municipality of Sables-Spanish Rivers in 1998.

Barbara Hanley did indicate that he planned to write a letter to the provincial government requesting the installment of a historic plaque in front of the town's new municipal office.