
The Black Box
Lady Bessie Borden's Family, 1863-1956
Carman Miller(Author)
University of Toronto Press
Published on 27. January 2026
Book
Hardback
392 pages
978-1-4875-5194-0 (ISBN)
Description
In a remarkable tale of tragedy, war, family conflict, and imperial diplomacy, The Black Box presents a collective biography of four generations of women in an elite Nova Scotia family during the late-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century. These intelligent, educated, artistic women were pragmatic and autonomous persons who contributed to the development, maintenance, defence, and management of the Borden family's material resources.
Illustrating the changing nature of the time, the book explores the adventurous and curious lives of women who moved at the highest levels of society. It examines how the synergies of their private and public lives redefined their place in society during an era when the state and religion became more active and private lives more public. It also demonstrates the role and importance of the material components of social power, such as dress, residence, clubs, and travel.
Drawing on archival material retained by the family, the book reveals how the Borden family defined, secured, and sustained its status in society. The Black Box is a unique record of an elite family's response to the changing political economy of imperial Canada.
Illustrating the changing nature of the time, the book explores the adventurous and curious lives of women who moved at the highest levels of society. It examines how the synergies of their private and public lives redefined their place in society during an era when the state and religion became more active and private lives more public. It also demonstrates the role and importance of the material components of social power, such as dress, residence, clubs, and travel.
Drawing on archival material retained by the family, the book reveals how the Borden family defined, secured, and sustained its status in society. The Black Box is a unique record of an elite family's response to the changing political economy of imperial Canada.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Toronto
Canada
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
27 illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
658 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4875-5194-0 (9781487551940)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Carman Miller is an emeritus professor in the Department of History at McGill University.
Content
The Black Box
1. Bessie Clarke
2. Julia
3. Mrs. Borden
4. Business Partner
5. Dearest Mother
6. Political Spouse
7. Harold
8. Lady Borden
9. Borden Place
10. National Class
11. Courting London
12. Lady of the Snows
13. Scandal
14. Imperial Sunset
15. Lady Alone
16. Administrator
17. Executor
18. Death and Delays
19. Lady in Court
20. Maude
21. Rosamond
22. Return
23. Life with Lizzie
24. Intersecting Lives
25. Reunion
26. War
27. Great Granny
The Queen Is Dead
Appendix
1. Bessie Clarke
2. Julia
3. Mrs. Borden
4. Business Partner
5. Dearest Mother
6. Political Spouse
7. Harold
8. Lady Borden
9. Borden Place
10. National Class
11. Courting London
12. Lady of the Snows
13. Scandal
14. Imperial Sunset
15. Lady Alone
16. Administrator
17. Executor
18. Death and Delays
19. Lady in Court
20. Maude
21. Rosamond
22. Return
23. Life with Lizzie
24. Intersecting Lives
25. Reunion
26. War
27. Great Granny
The Queen Is Dead
Appendix