Downtown Commercial in Calgary in Calgary Metropolitan Region, Alberta — Canada’s Prairie Region (North America)
Maude Riley
1882-1962
— An Alberta Champion —
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 1, 2022
1. Maude Riley Marker
Maude Keen was born in Ontario, moving to Calgary to teach school in 1903. She married Harold Riley and they had three children. Soon after she joined the Local Council of Women, becoming an activist for dower rights and the right to vote for women in 1916.
She was passionate about the wellbeing of children. Maude's view of children was that they should be "well born, well treated, well housed, well fed, and well taught". Through her involvement with over 30 organizations, she campaigned for free hospitalization for maternity cases, pasteurization of milk, family courts, and family allowances so children would be well cared for.
In 1918 Maude helped found the Calgary Child Welfare Society, which became the Alberta Council on Child and Family Welfare. With her sustained leadership this group achieved significant improvements to the standard of care available to Alberta children and families.
Maude Riley passed away in 1962, months before she was to receive an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Alberta. She is remembered as one of the pioneers of social work in our province.
Erected by Alberta Champions Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work •
this page online
Location. 51° 2.816′ N, 114° 4.331′ W. Marker is in Calgary, Alberta, in Calgary Metropolitan Region. It is in Downtown Commercial. Marker can be reached from 7 Avenue Southwest just west of 4 Street Southwest, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located between the 4 Street SW Light Rail Station and Harley Hotchkiss Gardens, on the south side of Courthouse Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 611 4 Street Southwest, Calgary AB T2P 1T1, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Arthur Ryan Smith (here, next to this marker); W. O. Mitchell (here, next to this marker); Grant MacEwan (a few steps from this marker); Sir James Alexander Lougheed (a few steps from this marker); Annie Gale (a few steps from this marker); Site of Calgary's Original Court House (within shouting distance of this marker); The T. Eaton Co. Limited (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); The Great White Way (about 150 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Calgary.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Alberta Champions
Also see . . .
2. Marker detail: Maude Riley
1. Maude Riley.
Her work around women’s rights and particularly children’s rights was unwavering and holistic, investigating everything from proper nutrition to moral decency. She showed great determination as she consistently lobbied politicians until they gave concessions for her causes. In 1918 Maude helped found the Calgary Child Welfare Society. This would be her crowning achievement, resulting in significant improvements to the standard of care available to Alberta children and families. She ran unchallenged as its president from 1923 to 1962. One of her later successes was campaigning for family courts, so youth could be tried separately from adults.(Submitted on April 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Maude Riley: never a trailer.
Maude Riley was a strong woman whether she was getting gas for her car or fighting for the rights of children and women. With that strength, she changed Alberta (with ripples throughout Canada) between her start in public life in Calgary in the 1910s to her death in 1962. Children were her main cause, her passion, her reason to be, and for them she worked tirelessly. At one point she belonged to thirty-two organizations in Calgary and Alberta. She chaired the meetings or served on committees or wrote(Submitted on April 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)the petitions or led the tag team on tag days, or whatever it was she had to do to see that the world was a better place for children.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 1, 20223. Maude Riley Marker(looking north from 4 Street SW Light Rail Station • Harley Hotchkiss Gardens in background)
3. Alpha Maude Keen Riley (Find A Grave).
(Union Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, Canada)(Submitted on April 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Mrs. Riley took up welfare work seriously in 1908 when she was a member of a committee that interviewed the government on child protection laws. She helped organize the Alberta Council on Child and Family Welfare. She also worked at various times with the Women's Canada Club, the Calgary and Alberta Tuberculosis Associations, the Local Council of Women, the Children's Aid Society, the Young Women's Christian Association and the Canadian Welfare Council.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 29, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 121 times since then and 67 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
