Dorothy Mary Pickup

Dorothy Mary Pickup

Dorothy Mary Pickup

• Date of Death: March 18, 1968
• Accomplishments: Municipal government, community service

In 1951, Dorothy Mary Pickup was elected as an alderman for Fort William City Council and made history by being Fort William’s first-ever alderwoman. Influenced by the success of Eunice Wishart, the first female mayor of Port Arthur, Dorothy Mary Pickup decided to run for alderman at the age of 60, earning 3,765 votes, the most out of the three newly elected aldermen. Mrs. Pickup was modest about her election, it being her long-time belief that women should have some say in civic affairs.

In addition to this lifelong belief, Dorothy Mary Pickup’s many accomplishments throughout her life made her a desirable choice for alderman. Educated at the Toronto Conservatory of Music, she was a piano teacher for some time before her marriage. During this time, she was a part of many boards and councils that were striving for women’s rights and was the president of the Women’s Canadian Club, the West Algoma Council of Women, and the Superior Presbyterial of the United Church. While she was on her honeymoon in England with her army doctor husband during the first World War, she also worked in an army medical supplies depot and the Canadian Estates Office. Of all her accomplishments she stated that the one she was most proud of was raising her two children, but when both had grown up and gone to college, she felt it was her civic duty to make a contribution to the community on City Council.

Dorothy Pickup was very busy during her time as alderman. In her first year alone, she had perfect attendance to all council meetings and was chosen to be the acting mayor while Mayor Badani was out of town at a two-day hydro conference in Sioux Lookout. She also was on the four-person committee preparing the city for the royal visit from Queen (then Princess) Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.

After a successful eight-year run on council from 1951-1958, Dorothy Pickup enjoyed a well-deserved retirement at her home in Fort William before moving to Alexandria, Ontario in 1962. She passed away March 18, 1968, in Alexandria at the age of 77.