Fonds MS-178 - Margaret Williams fonds

Margaret Amy Lucy Giles was born 2 Feb 1916 to Fannie Davies and Edwin Henry Giles in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1932 Margaret started working in Vancouver at the fledgling City of Vancouver Archives, as an assistant to the City Archivist, Major James S. Matthews. She worked at the Vancouver Archives until 1942.

Margaret Giles married Stan Williams in 1940 in St. James Church in Vancouver, British Columbia. They had four children – David, Jean, Patty, and Diane.

In 1943, Margaret and Stanley moved to Edmonton, where Stan got a job with the Edmonton Bulletin, and later the Edmonton Journal. Though Margaret continued to have a strong interest in the Vancouver Archives and St. James Church in Vancouver where she married, she was also very active in the Edmonton community. She served on many committees and volunteered for numerous groups and charitable organizations. She was dedicated to Guiding and Scouting, initially as a member and later becoming a leader in my branches, including Brownies, Wolf Cubs, and Guides. She served as Commissioner of the Highwood District for many years.

Margaret and Stan were very involved with church activities, including pioneering a newspaper recycling project at St. Barnabas Anglican Church. One of Margaret’s proudest achievements was receiving a lifetime membership in the Anglican Church Women.

Following on her work at the City of Vancouver Archives, Margaret was passionate about history and heritage, and was the first secretary on the Archives and Landmarks Committee, the precursor to the City of Edmonton Archives. She served on the Archives and Landmarks committee from 1947 to 1956.

Margaret and Stan co-authored a travel series in the Edmonton Journal newspaper, where her husband was an associate editor. Their first destinations were reached by road pulling their trailer, earning them the title of ‘Six Wheels’. Margaret was also very involved with St. Peter’s Anglican Church. Stan and Margaret received a Recognition Award from the Edmonton Historical Board in 1976.

Margaret Giles Williams died in Nov 1994 in Mayerthorpe, Alberta, and she is buried at the Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton.