Pilgrimage
Illustration from scrapbook of Women's Literary Club of St. Catharines
A significant aspect of the Women's Literary Club of St. Catharines was the groups annual pilgrimage in June. The women would usually focus on a location of historical significance and invite friends and associates of the club to join them. Often local trips, the club would visit locations like: Dundurn Castle (Hamilton, Ontario), Lundy's Lane, Decew House, Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Niagara on the Lake, Brantford (Mohawk Institute), Ridgeway, etc. The women would create an itinerary for the day and on some pilgrimages, they would visit several different locations.
Pilgrimage to Rathfon Inn, Port Colborne, Ontario
The pilgrimages also included trips to visit with aquaintances of the literary club. There were many in the literary field that enjoyed the conversation and enthusiasm of the women in the club. They formed friendshps that lasted for years with writers like Louis Blake Duff. During the summer of 1948, Duff opened his home in Saint Johns (Niagara) to the women for their annual pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage Itinerary, 24 June 1950
Pilgrimage to home of Louis Blake Duff, 1948