19 Facts About Edith Carr

Edith Carr was an American-Canadian China-painter and founder of the YWCA in Victoria, British Columbia.

Edith Carr raised the funds she would later donate by selling her painted ceramic pieces at Christmas bazaars.

Edith "Dede" Carr was born on February 5,1856, in California and was the first child of Richard and Emily Carr.

Edith Carr was the eldest of eight children, three of whom died as infants.

Edith Carr spent her young life taking care of her tuberculosis ridden mother and raising her siblings, becoming their guardian.

When both parents died in the late 1880s, Edith Carr became guardian to her siblings.

The conflict grew after Edith Carr became head of the family in 1888, which Emily described in her book Growing Pains.

Edith Carr claimed that part of the reason her father let her go to art school was to tame the hostility between the two sisters.

However, there have been attempts to dispute Emily's claims about her sister, as Edith Carr was publicly perceived as a valued member of her community and a charitable person who cared for her family's well-being.

Police came to investigate complaints about the dog, so Edith Carr allowed them to put the dog down.

However, when Emily got the news that Edith Carr was on her deathbed, she returned to reconcile with her elder sister.

Edith Carr dabbled in several art forms, including China-painting, wood-carving, and jewelry making.

Edith Carr taught these skills to others in Victoria, and continued to teach well into her sixties in her family home.

Edith Carr won first prize for china-painting at the Victoria Fall Fair in 1904.

Edith Carr hosted an exhibition each Christmas in the family home, where she would sell her art and craft work to members of the community.

Edith Carr sold her work her work at the annual Reformed Episcopal Church Christmas Bazaar.

All of the Edith Carr sisters had a role in founding the YWCA in Victoria.

In 1911, the Edith Carr family decided to sell their land, but due to legal restrictions it wasn't sold until 1912.

Edith Carr rented out the family home and spent $5,000 having a cottage built on her share of the estate at 231 St Andrews Street in 1913.