Ella McBride: A Woman ahead of Her Time
Lisa Anderson | Lisa’s Dolce Italia
In honouring Women’s History Month, I have chosen a woman I never had the chance to meet. Her images have always captivated me and grace the walls of my home, and I have heard countless stories of her from my dad and his siblings. Her name is Ella McBride (1862-1965), and she captured light and life with photographic images.
Ella McBride
Image | Wayne Albee, Wikimedia Commons
Ella was my grandfather’s business partner in their Seattle studio, and my dad called her granny Ella. When Ella turned 100, she did a radio interview, and one of the stories that impressed me most was about climbing Mt. Rainier with fellow photographer Edward Curtis, for whom she worked. At 14,417 feet, the climb to Washington state’s highest peak is difficult even today with all the high-tech gear we have at hand. So imagine: she was the only woman to summit unaided.
She talked about the clothing she wore: lace-up leather boots and long skirts. She also talked about losing her friend on this hike— Edgar McClure was there to officially record the mountain's height.
Living to the age of nearly 103 years, Ella had successful careers in education, photography, and business. She was an adventurous and creative woman who lived her life to the fullest, and from what I’ve heard, she was a wonderful person as well. Truly inspirational.
Lisa Anderson with a Photo of Anna Pavlova by Ella McBride
Image | Lisa Anderson
To discover more about the life of Ella Mcbride, here are a few more articles.
David Martin Innovative Isolation: Re-examining Pictorialism through the Recovery of Reputation
Sepia Stills: Tacoma Art Museum celebrates the photography of Ella McBride
Flowers and Focus (this includes a photo of the climbing party)
Ella Etna McBride (notice the very apt middle name)
Dancers, Seattle by Ella McBride (MOHAI, Museum of History and Industry)
