Edith Margaret Osborn

Background

Edith Margaret Osborn was born on March 22, 1912, in Wainfleet, United Kingdom; the daughter of Ernest Alfred James, an office manager, and Edith (Curtis) Camp, a homemaker. In 1921 Edith moved to Canada.

Education

Edith Margaret Osborn received her education at St. Mary Cray, Kent. Later, she attended Harvard University and took classes at the University of Saskatchewan.

Career

Edith Margot Osborn moved with her family to Rochester, Kent, where she worked as a civil servant for three years. Later, Edith with her husband sailed for Canada. There, she worked for the Canadian Department of Defence in Regina for four years. After resigning Margot returned to North America, where she obtained a clerical job with the Christian Science Monitor organization in Boston. In 1963 she was appointed secretary to the Christian Science Board of Education where she worked until retiring in 1969.

After her retirement, Edith traveled in Canada and abroad. While on a visit to Egypt she undertook research for her pageant-play on the life of Moses, "The Man Who Might Have Been King". Margot’s poetry has been published in The Christian Science Monitor, Canadian Forum, Canadian Poetry Magazine, Regina Leader Post, National Home Monthly and other periodicals.

Osborn was also an author of the poetry collections Frosty-Moon, published by Ryerson, Saskatchewan and Other Places, and Supper at Emmaus. She wrote of the play Judas Incorporated, produced in Regina, Saskatchewan. Edith was a contributor of poems and stories to magazines and newspapers. Between 1946 and 1990 Margot published 10 plays or poetry books. Some of her writings appeared under the name Margot Osborn.

Achievements

• Edith Margaret Osborn was an author of a world-known science-fiction novel, Short Visit to Ergon. She also received a Prize from Jewish Children’s Theatre for the play The Man Who Might Have Been King.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Short Visit to Ergon 1971
  • Frosty-Moon And Other Poems 1946

Views

Quotations: "I write because I can’t help it."

"I did a lot of research for my play on the life of Moses, and I went to Egypt. When I lived in Boston I went to Europe almost every second year. I have been to Africa, Egypt, South America, France, Switzerland, and Italy, and have done a good deal of traveling in England and Canada, Finland, and Russia."

"I now live in one of the most beautiful spots in the world, with a delightful climate - different from the harsh winters in most parts of Canada. It has been said that living in Canada is like being in bed with an elephant. Our culture is swamped by American movies, books, magazines, and finance. I don’t know of any other country in the world which has such a struggle to claim its own culture. Americans are very nice people, but I don’t know of any other country in the world so dominated by a neighbor as Canada- Perhaps Finland is in a similar situation."

Membership

Edith Margaret Osborn was a member of the Canadian Authors Association.

• Edith Margaret Osborn was the president of the Victoria branch.

  Canadian Authors Association , Canada

  1970 - 1974

Interests

• music, theater

Connections

Edith Margaret Osborn was married to Arthur George Osborn. The couple had four children - Rosemary Osborn Bish, Howard, David, and Laurel.

Father:

Ernest Alfred James

Ernest Alfred James was an office manager.

Mother:

Edith (Curtis) Camp

child:

Rosemary Osborn Bish

child:

Howard Osborn

child:

David Osborn

child:

Laurel Osborn

late spouse:

Arthur George Osborn