Ellen Peake was born on 20 March 1870 near Dover, England. Her family moved to Fredericton when she was a child, and she attended the city's public schools, and later graduated from the Normal School in 1888 and from UNB with a BA in 1892. That same year she became the first woman to receive the Douglas Gold Medal:
"Next we come to Miss E.F.P. Peake who carried off the Douglas gold medal for the year. Miss Peake was a hard student but she feels happy in the fact that she has a handsome gold medal and a certificate of graduation honors in English, French and German to show for it."
Ellen Peake went on to teach English Literature at Oshkosh Normal School, Wisconsin, from 1895-1936. In 1930 she earned an MA degree from UNB.
Source(s):
- University Monthly, vol.12, no. 1, October 1892, p.1, 4.
- UA Case 126; File 10.
- [UNB Class Composite & Group Photographs Database]