Description
Emily Murphy (1868-1933) was the first female police magistrate in the British Empire (1916). The City’s Names Advisory Committee originally decided to name the park “Janey Canuck,” Murphy’s pen name, but Murphy’s daughter convinced the committee to change the name before it went to City Council. Murphy was born in Ontario and came to Edmonton in 1907. Already a popular author, she lobbied for provisions in the Dower Act that entitled a woman to part of her husband’s estate. She campaigned for female suffrage, and became a judge in 1916. Her efforts in the Persons Case, as part of the Famous five, saw women legally declared to be “persons,” giving women the right to become members of the Senate. The Emily Murphy Park is located in the river valley and has an area of 11 ha.
Feature Type
Park
Designation Year
1958