Women's History Walking Tour Guide
1. Start the tour at Cavendish Square directly across from the Sheraton Hotel. Here you will find a monument honouring teacher and nurse Ethel Dickinson.
2. Proceed up the left side of Military Road and stop at Cochrane Street. #82 Cochrane Street was the home of Margaret Shea, Newfoundland and Labrador's first professionally trained nurse.
Margaret Alexandra (Rendell) Shea
3. Directly across at #83 Cochrane Street is Emmanuel House, a former hostel and community services centre.
4. Look across Military Road to Government House where many women served the community in war and peace.
5. Continue up the left side of Military Road to #63, the site of union leader Julia Salter Earle's home.
6. At #83 Military Road is the former home of the St. John's Women's Centre, the oldest women's centre in Canada.
St. John's Status of Women Council, The Women's Centre
7. Look across Military Road to the Colonial Building, the former seat of government in Newfoundland and Labrador and a site of women's struggles for equality.
8. Proceed up Military Road to #120, the home of Agnes Marion Ayre, a noted botanical artist.
9. At the next set of traffic lights, turn right on to Rennie's Mill Road. #12 was the home of educator Edith Mary Manuel.
10. Continue along Rennie's Mill Road with its grand upper-class houses that employed many domestic workers between 1850 and 1950.
11. Number 44 Rennie's Mill Road was the home of Helena E. Squires, the first women to be elected to the NL House of Assembly.
12. Number 52 Rennie's Mill Road was the home of suffrage leader and tireless advocate for women, Armine Nutting Gosling.
13. Cross Rennie's Mill Road to #55, the residence of Violet Cherrington, early 20th century educator.
14. Turn back to #51 Rennie's Mill Road, the home of author Margaret I. Duley.
15. Return to the intersection with Military Road. At the Hungry Heart Café, turn right and walk along Military Road to #170 in the religious precinct of St. John's.
16. The large church beside the convent is the Basilica of St. John the Baptist. To the right of the Basilica and slightly behind is the Convent of the Presentation Sisters.
17. Cross Military Road and the little park and go down the stairs to Queen's Road. Turn left, stopping at #40, the family home of Vera Perlin.
Vera Elizabeth Perlin and Molly Priscova Dingle
18. Cross Queen's Road to #35, the home of suffragist Fannie McNeil.
19. Retrace your steps to the corner of Victoria Street and Queen's Road. Go left down Victoria to Gower Street, then turn right on Gower to see the home of photographer Elsie Holloway at #180.
20. Continue along Gower Street past the Anglican Cathedral on your left, and Gower Street United Church on your right. Stop at the intersection of Church Hill and Gower Street.
21. Go left down Church Hill toward the harbour, cross Duckworth Street, and turn right. Walk down the steep McBride's Hill to Water Street, the retail hub of downtown.
22. Proceed to the right along Water Street to #286, the NONIA Building.
23. Turn right at the corner of NONIA and George Street and climb the stairs back to Duckworth Street. Look across the street and up Bates' Hill to the junction with Queen's Road at the top. To the left is Carter's Hill, the site of Nancy Coyle's premises.
24. Turn right on Duckworth Street and proceed to #357, offices of the former St. John's newspaper, The Daily News.
25. Continue along Duckworth Street to the Court House at #311.
26. Further along Duckworth Street, at #278 is the Anna Templeton Centre for Craft, Art and Design.
27. Opposite the Templeton Centre is #275, the former site of the St. John's Evening Telegram building.
28. Go down the stairs beside #275 to reach Water Street. Across Water Street, at #158, was the Ladies Reading Room.
29. Continue left along Water Street to the tall Fortis Building at #139.
30. The King George the Fifth Institute, among other things a former boarding house and night school for young women, was located at #93 Water Street.
The Girls' Department of the King George the Fifth Institute
31. Finally, walk along Water Street to the War Memorial and take the stairs up to Duckworth Street. Across from the Memorial was Kings' Place, the site of Mary Travers' tavern and early government in Newfoundland.
