Lucy Maud Montgomery ~ The Norval Years ~ 1926 - 1935

"Norval is so beautiful now that it takes my breath. The pine hills full of shadows - those river reaches - those bluffs of maple and smooth-trunked beech - with drifts of wild white blossom everywhere. I love Norval as I have never loved any place save Cavendish. It is a s if I had known it all my life - as if I had dreamed young dreams under those pines, and walked with my first love down that long perfumed hill."

Selected Journals of Lucy Maud Montgomery, Vol. III Published 1992. Edited by Mary Rubio, and Elizabeth Waterston, of the University of Guelph.

Lucy Maud Montgomery was born the 30th of November, 1874, in Clifton (now New London), Prince Edward Island. She was, and is, the most internationally famous writer in Canadian literary history. Her book Anne of Green Gables, and her other books, are still being published today.

In 1911 Lucy Maud Montgomery married the Rev. Ewan Macdonald. They had two sons, Chester, and Stuart. After their marriage they traveled to Ontario, and their home was in Leaksdale, until 1926. That same year she came to Norval with her husband and two sons, as the Rev. Macdonald was the new Minister for Norval, and Union Presbyterian Churches. They moved into the beautiful Victorian Manse on Draper Street. Her first impression of Norval was of its great beauty. She said, "Norval is one of the prettiest villages in all of Ontario."

She was an unbelievably busy lady. As a Minister's wife she would be expected to teach Sunday School, attend Services, attend the Ladies Meetings, bake for fund raising, and this was for two Churches. She also had two sons to raise. Her husband was not always well, and she had to help him at times.

She had a wonderful sense of music, and of the theater, and perhaps never again will a small village be so honoured as to have someone of her calibre lead the plays, musicals, and the "Olde Tyme Concerts". Now, if her life was not busy enough, she "found" the time to publish the following:

The Blue Castle ~ 1926

Emily's Quest ~ 1927

Magic for Marigold ~ 1929

A Tangled Web ~ 1931

Pat of Silver Bush ~ 1933

Courageous Women, with Marian Keith and M.B. McKinley ~ 1934

Mistress Pat ~ 1935

along with magazine and newspaper articles, poems, short stories and 2 1/2 volumes of her personal journals.

Rev. Ewan and Mrs. Macdonald retired to "Journeys End", Riverside Drive, Kingsway, Toronto. She died on the 24th of April, 1942; the Rev. Ewan Macdonald died nine months later. They are both buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.

Excerpt taken from Norval History by Joan (Browne) Carter.