Jackie Webster

1922-2019

Mary Jacqueline Webster was born in Fredericton, York County, New Brunswick, on 9 June 1922. Her father drowned when she was 8 years old; consequently, she went to live with her aunt and 2 uncles at their farm on the bank of the Nashwaak River. Following graduation from high school, Webster moved to Saint John and began working for a law firm. Just before she turned 20-years-old she met Lord Beaverbrook who arranged for her to attend the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Fredericton on a Beaverbrook Scholarship, which made her the first woman to be awarded such a scholarship. In 1963, Webster left Fredericton for Saint John to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. She was teaching creative writing when Stuart Trueman, then editor-in-chief of the Telegraph Journal, offered to hire her as a journalist for the newspaper. She accepted his offer and produced stories for various publications across Canada, including Macleans and the Globe and Mail as well. In 1975, then Premier Richard B. Hatfield hired Webster to write speeches and respond to correspondence for him. Webster became a speech writer for several provincial and federal politicians. She was hired by Premier David Alward to document the history of the organization of the New Brunswick civil service. Throughout her writing career, Webster's work appeared in numerous publications, including the Atlantic Advocate, the Daily Gleaner, Carleton Free Press, the Times, the Vancouver Sun, and the Star Weekly. She was also employed by CBC Radio and Television. On 6 April 2011, Webster was honoured with the Eldred Savoie Award for Excellence and Dedication in New Brunswick Journalism at the second annual St. Thomas University- Legislative Press Gallery Dinner, held at St. Thomas University, in Fredericton. She was also a recipient of the Order of New Brunswick (2017) and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. Webster died on 28 October 2019, aged 97 years.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Nashwaak, Saint John, Fredericton

Archival Material

• Jackie Webster fonds
  ⌄
  Location

  Provincial Archives of New Brunswick

  Retrieval Number

  MC3540

  Date Range of Material

  1950-2006, 2010

  Extent

  Textual records, photographs and audio recordings

  Scope and Content Note

  This fonds consists of subject files for background research of freelance journalist, Jackie Webster, as well as other textual material including a page from Susan Montague's A Pictorial History of UNB [University of New Brunswick], which tells how Webster received a Beaverbrook Scholarship in 1948; 7 pp. copied from Webster's website (2006); and copies of articles by  Webster -- "Earth Weekend a Success" Brunswickan, November 30, 2001, "A Tribute to Lloyd Nickerson", published in the Saint John Telegraph Journal (April 2006); "Tory Candidate [David Orchard] nudges part back to its roots" Telegraph Journal, August 28, 1998; "Memo to McKenna: Get Serious about Energy Probe Report" Telegraph Journal March 25, 2002. Also included are copies of information from the internet concerning Jackie Webster (2006); a transcript of hearings of the Commission on the Irving Ltd. control of the media in New Brunswick -- Jackie Webster, Robert Pichette speak to The Chairman and Senator James Munson, ca. 2006 (14 page typescript); and 1 small file of articles about Jackie (Brewer) Webster. The fonds also includes audio recordings of 8 interviews Webster gave about her career as a journalist and speech writer for New Brunswick politicians.