Dale, Florence Fredericka Ryckman

Florence Fredericka Ryckman was born June 29, 1876, the eldest daughter of Emmaline Edmond Baird and Reverend Edward Bradshaw Ryckman, minister of the Second Methodist Church in Kingston, Ontario. According to notes by Frances Dale on the newpaper report of Fredericka's birth, her name was to be Jessie Alexandra. Apparently, this “was found out when mother applied for birth certificate at age 70.” She met William Dale during her sophomore year at Queen’s University where she was a Honour English and History major student and he was lecturing in the Department of Classics following his dismissal from the University of Toronto. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1898.

After a six year courtship, she and William Dale were married on April 10, 1901 at the Wall Street Methodist Church in Brockville. She was 25 and William Dale was 53. Her father, Rev. E. B. Ryckman performed the ceremony. For the first ten years of their marriage they lived on the Dale farm near St. Marys. In 1911 they moved, with their three children to the large Second Empire style house on Ontario Street. When William Dale died in 1921, Fredericka was left alone to raise their four children, Margaret, William Douglas, Frances and Emmaline [1]. Following his death, she sold the Dale farm, and in the years to come, sent Margaret and Frances to the University of Toronto… In addition to raising her four children, Mrs. Dale was involved in the St. Mary’s United Church, the Women’s Missionary Society and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. She was a charter member of the Queen Alexandra Women’s Institute and a former members of the St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary. According to her obituary in the Queen’s University Alumni Review (March-April 1972), Frederika Dale was part of one of the first groups in the area to become interested in the issues faced by those with intellectual disabilities .” [2]

She lived in the family house in St. Marys until her death on August 17, 1971 at the age of 95.

Notes:
[1]: Robert McKay Wilhelm, “William Dale – Delicta Maiorum: An Ancient Roman on the battlefield at the University of Toronto”. P. 10, footnote 48 ; Montreal Daily Witness, April 12, 1901. B2002-0017/008
[2]: UTA B2002-0017/008

Edits made to biographical note to remove ablest derogatory term, D. Ansovini, June 2022.