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Poets' Corner Of Canada

On 15 May 1947, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada formally unveiled the 'Poets' Corner,' a monument honouring three outstanding Canadian poets:

Among those taking part in the ceremony were:

Dignitaries at the Unveiling Ceremony for the Poets' Corner Monument - UAPC11no11(8)

L to R: Hon. J.B. McNair (Premier of NB); Dr. M.F. Gregg (President of UNB); Hon. D.L. MacLaren (Lt.-Gov. of NB); Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey, Dr. J.C. Webster

View the ceremony Programme

 

The memorial was originally located on the hill below Sir Howard Douglas Hall on the Fredericton Campus of the University of New Brunswick. In the 1970s it was moved to the area in front of the Harriet Irving Library known as Jacob's Yard, named for Edwin Jacob, the University's second President (1829-1850). The Poets' Corner hasn't found its final resting place yet. In 2001 plans to redesign Jacob's Yard were revealed that included the relocation of the monument "21 feet closer to the Harriet Irving Library".

Photo showing original location of the Poets' Corner Monument - Yearbook 1950

Photo showing current location of the Poets' Corner Monument

The wording engraved on the bronze plaque affixed to the monument read, in part: "Born in or near Fredericton. Educated in this University, and buried in the cemetery of Forest Hill. Their gifts of verse enriched Canadian literature and gained for their common birthplace the designation - 'The Poets' Corner of Canada.'" The original plaque was replaced with a newly designed one in 1967. Plans are currently underway to have the monument fitted with a bilingual plaque.

Original Poets' Corner Plaque - Yearbook 1955