Dorothy Roberts

1906-1993

Dorothy Gostwick Roberts (poet) was born on 6 July 1906 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She published seven volumes of poetry.  She was the daughter of poet Theodore Goodridge Roberts and niece of Canadian poet Charles G.D. Roberts. She attended school in Fredericton and later enrolled at the University of New Brunswick. Roberts became a reporter for the Fredericton Daily Mail and sold stories to different publications. She married August R. Leisner in 1929 and moved to the United States with him in 1940. The couple lived in Ithaca, New York for five years, then settled in Pennsylvania, where Leisner was an English professor at a state college. Roberts' first book of poetry, Songs for Swift Feet, was a chapbook released under her middle name Gostwick. Her final book of poetry, In Flight of Stars, appeared in 1991, just two years before she died on 23 April 1993.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Fredericton

Archival Material

• Dorothy Roberts and August R. Leisner fonds
  ⌄
  Location

  University of New Brunswick Archives & Special Collections

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  MG L 3

  Date Range of Material

  1860-1984, predominant 1930-1984

  Extent

  24 cm textual records

  Scope and Content Note

  This fonds documents the life of Dorothy Roberts, particularly with respect to her relationships with family members, most notably with her father, Theodore Goodridge (Thede), and her brother, William Goodridge (Goody). It also reflects her work as a writer of prose and verse. This fonds also documents the literary efforts of Arthur R. Leisner with respect to the production of a manuscript of literary criticism on the work of Charles G. D. Roberts. This fonds consists of 2 series: 1. Dorothy Roberts and 2. Arthur R. Leisner. It contains business and personal correspondence, 3 typescript copies of Arthur's study, a review of Dorothy's work and several miscellaneous items. A few 19th century letters between members of the Roberts family living in New Brunswick and typescript copies of poems by Theodore Goodridge Roberts (Thede) and William Goodridge Roberts are also included.