Jean Middleton Donald Gow (January 26, 1903 - November 6, 2005) was the president and founder of the Naval Reading Services for the Naval Service of Canada. She was also an author, illustrator, and a researcher and writer for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Early life Gow was born Jean Middleton Donald in Hampshire, England, to Dr. (Colonel) David and Mrs. Donald. Her family immigrated to Victoria, British Columbia, in 1910. She grew up in Esquimalt.
She trained at the Royal Drawing Academy in London, earning a teacher-artist certificate. She then returned to British Columbia and participated in several art exhibitions."The Daily Colonist (1928-06-27)" - Internet Archive (poorly OCR's)"The Daily Colonist (1928-10-25)" - Internet Archive (poorly OCR'd"The Fine Arts in Vancouver". WW Thom - 1969. A collection of her sketches and watercolours from this time period is in the Royal British Columbia Museum."tem PDP06211 - Loading lumber; Point Ellice Bridge." Collection of the Royal British Columbia Museum.
In 1929, she married Lieutenant Commander Francis R.W.R. (Peter) Gow in England. They lived in England until 1935. They then lived in Halifax until 1938, and then were stationed in Esquimalt and Ottawa before returning to Halifax during the Second World War.
Career In 1940 Gow created an illustrated travel book, Quebec Patchwork. It was published by MacMillan. In 1942, Gow's husband died in a plane crash. She began to do volunteer work, including organizing a Naval Reading Service to provide naval personnel on ships with reading material."Jean Gow, President and Founder of the Naval Reading Services". 'An East Coast Port' Halifax in Wartime, 1939-1945. Government of Nova Scotia website.
After the war Gow worked as a librarian with the Department of National Defence, and later supported herself through illustrating and writing books. She began working for CBC in 1951; she wrote and did research for radio and television, covering children's shows, documentaries, and public affairs. She retired in 1968.
She published two more books, Design of Days (1988) and Alongside the Navy, 1910-1950 (1999)."Book Review", Dan Mainguy, Action Stations, March 2000 The latter covered her experiences as a navy wife living in Halifax, Esquimalt, and Ottawa. Gow spent 40 years completing research for a biography on Edward, Duke of Kent. This was never published. This research, as well as other documents, is in the Jean Donald Gow fonds at the Nova Scotia Archives.Jean Donald Gow fonds. Nova Scotia Archives
Death Jean Gow died on November 6, 2005, in Ottawa, Ontario, at the age of 102.
Publications
Author Quebec Patchwork], Macmillan Company of Canada limited, 1940 - Québec. Design of Days, 1988. Alongside the Navy, 1910-1950, 1999. Biography of Edward, Duke of Kent (unpublished)
Illustrator Peter the sea trout, Mel Thistle. New York : Bouregy & Curl, 1954."Gow, Jean Donald 1903-". WorldCat. Accessed December 8, 2016. The Blue Circle Gang Frank Llewellyn Houghton. Toronto, Nelson, 1949 I Like British Columbia Gwen Cash. Toronto - the MacMillan Company of Canada Limited, at St. Marten's House, 1938
References
External links Jean Donald Gow fonds at the Nova Scotia Archives Jean M. Gow fonds at Library and Archives Canada