Born in England and educated in Paris, Margaret Greenham acted on possibilities and made them realities.
In addition to her work at The Mountain School, she was the principal creator and artistic director of The Merry-Go-Round Theatre, the first theatre for children in Canada. Perhaps this is why Vivien Leigh choose Banff and the Mountain School, for her children’s education, despite the distance they had to travel.
Margaret noticed that travellers liked tangible mementos from Banff, and that almost all mementos sold at the time were made in Germany. This incongruity inspired her to create and organize Banff Home Industries. The group produced and sold Canadian-made crafts such as mittens and scarves to tourists. As an added benefit, the initiative supplied local women with their own source of income.
As if the School, Banff Home Industries and Merry-Go-Round Theatre were not enough, Margaret was also a key player in the Banff Literary-Dramatic Society. The Margaret Greenham Theatre at the Banff Centre recognizes Margaret’s many contributions to Banff’s early culture and community.
Margaret Greenham lived beside the Mountain School at 606 Caribou Street.
If your life was touched by this vibrant mountain woman, please contact us. We are especially interested in Banff Home Industries. Please share your story with us by emailing [javascript protected email address].