Amanda Shaw Canada's Early Women Writers Linnea McNally Canada's Early Women Writers Canadian Writing Research Collaboratory Born digital object, initially housed by the Simon Fraser University library English Born digital Life writing Biography Bibliography Amanda Shaw (1864-1941)

Australian-born poet Amanda Shaw spent much of her adult life in Vancouver, BC, where she took part in the cultural life of the city.

 25 September 1864, Redfern, Sydney, NSW, Australia 2 November 1941, Los Angeles, CA Name at birth: Amanda Maria Cormack Note

This author's life has been researched earlier for inclusion in the <XREF URL="http://digital.lib.sfu.ca/ceww-collection" RESP="KME">Canada's Early Women Writers</XREF> project at Simon Fraser University. Information in this entry therefore may not be comprehensive, but has been verified.

Entry revised by Linnea McNally

 Amanda Shaw (1864-1941)

One of eleven children, Amanda Maria Cormack was born in 1864 in Sydney, Australia, to cooper and timber merchant Alexander William Cormack (1837-1909) and Ellen Howarth (1844-1927).

In 1881, Amanda married auditor Alfred Moss Shaw (b. c1861). After the birth of the couple's third child in 1888, the Shaws left Australia and, after a brief residence in New Zealand, headed for North America. Settling possibly first in the United States, the family immigrated in 1906 to Vancouver, BC, where Amanda took part in the cultural life of the city, forming a close friendship with author Isabel Ecclestone Mackay.

In the mid-1920s, Amanda and Alfred lived in Pasadena, CA, after which they seem to have returned to Vancouver for a few years before spending the early 1930s in Auckland, New Zealand. In 1931, Amanda published The Wondrous Hush (1931), a book of poems dedicated to the memory of her daughter, Marion Clare Reddall (1882-1923).

By 1937, the Shaws had again returned to Vancouver, their shared residence until Amanda's death in Los Angeles, CA, in 1941. A second posthumously published book, Christmas Trees, And Other Verses (1959), primarily contains poems by her son, Cyril Dunstan Shaw (1888-1959), as well as thirteen by Amanda.

 Published Texts Poetry The Wondrous Hush (New York: Revell, 1931) Christmas Trees, And Other Verses (Sydney: Hogbin, Poole, 1959) Family and Relationships Father: Alexander William Cormack (26 February 1837 – 10 March 1909)

Alexander William Cormack was born in 1837 in Sydney, Australia, to John Hunter Cormack (1800-1860) and Maria Fulloon (1806-1869), originally of Scotland and England respectively.

Alexander was a cooper and timber merchant. He married Ellen Howarth (d. 1927) in 1859, and the couple had eleven children. Alexander died in Gerstein, Snail's Bay, Australia, in 1909.

 Mother: Ellen Howarth (13 August 1844 – 9 September 1927)

Ellen Howarth was born in Australia to gardener Thomas Howarth. She married Alexander William Cormack (1837-1909) in 1859, and the couple had eleven children. Ellen died in Mosman, Australia, in 1927.

 Siblings Matilda Esther Cormack (c1860 – 1 July 1926): m. Ferdinand Bender Alexander John Cormack (c1862 – 31 March 1932): m. Mabel Violet Llewellyn Gertrude Ellen Cormack (c1867 – November 1904): m. James Edwin Ormiston Florence Jessie Cormack (c1869 – 22 June 1954)

Havelock purchased his father's copper and timber business.

 Havelock Hunter Cormack (22 May 1871 – 26 July 1930) Edith Maud Cormack (c1874 – 23 June 1932) Donald Sydney Cormack (c1878 – 1959)

Donald was a dentist.

 Eveline Estelle Cormack (c1880 – 1974): m. Donald McCorquodale Sinclair Cormack (b. c1884) Gordon Victor Cormack (c1884 – c1960): m. Margaret Maxwell

Gordon was a timber merchant with his brother, Havelock.

 Spouse: Alfred Moss Shaw (c1861 – after 1941) Marriage: 14 November 1881, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Alfred Moss Shaw was born in about 1861 in Ashfield, NSW, Australia, to Charles Shaw (1836-1922) and Marianne Frances Moss (1837-1915).

Alfred, an auditor, married Amanda Maria Cormack (1864-1941) in 1881. After welcoming three children into their family, in 1906 Alfred and Amanda immigrated to Vancouver, BC, where Alfred became a solicitor and accountant for Alfred Shaw, Tolmie & Co. Their son Cyril joined them in 1920. The couple lived in Los Robles, CA in 1924 and 1925, and Auckland, New Zealand in 1934. After many years of travelling and living abroad, Alfred was widowed in 1941.

 Children Marion Clare Shaw (born Marian Clara) (daughter) (1882 – 28 September 1923): m. to Dr. Osborne Henry Reddall Irene Beatrice Ellen Shaw (daughter) (1885 – after 1945): m. to Dr. Stephen Frederick Lynch (d. 1967) Cyril Dunstan Shaw (son) (9 April 1888 – 2 January 1959)

Cyril studied law at Lincoln's Inn Fields in London, but did not practise; he wrote a textbook on the US Constitution, and travelled frequently. A farmer in Hood River, Oregon at the time, he served with the US forces in the First World War.

 Religion Residences

Balmain, NSW, Australia (1880)

Mission Bay, Auckland, New Zealand (c1931-1934)

Newtown, NSW, Australia (1882-1888)

New Zealand (1934)

Pasadena, CA (1924-1927)

Redfern, NSW, Australia (1864)

South Africa (1912)

Sydney, NSW, Australia (1903)

Vancouver, BC (c1906-1911, 1923, 1937-1941)

 Education Awards Employment and Volunteer Activities Memberships

Royal Purple of Canada (Supreme Honoured Royal Lady of 1915)

 Archival Holdings Published Resources 1921 Census of Canada. Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922. Australia Death Index, 1787-1985. Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950. Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956. Border Crossings: From Mexico to U.S., 1895-1964. California, Death Index, 1940-1997. California, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1959. Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924. Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935. Honolulu, Hawaii, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1900-1959. Marriage Announcement, The Sydney Morning Herald (23 November 1881). New South Wales, Australia, Index to Deceased Estate Files, 1923-1958. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.