Linda Crabtree fonds, 1905-2024, n.d.

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Linda_Crabtree_fonds_RG952.pdf (476.22 KB)

Date

2025-11-03

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Abstract

Fonds contains material acquired and created by Linda Crabtree. The material reflects her varied activities, including her work as an artist, journalist, disability rights advocate, and founder of CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease) International. Linda’s “Access Niagara” columns written for the St. Catharines Standard are included, as well as newsletters and magazine articles she authored, and her autobiography, CMT and Me. The fonds also contains genealogical material about the Crabtree family, and material related to her work designing a fully accessible home. Other material related to accessible design is included, such as material about Universal Design, the One Step program, and Trillium Forest (a proposed retreat for people with disabilities). There are also several issues of The McKinnon People, published by the Public Relations department of The McKinnon Industries Ltd., subsidiary of General Motors Corporation, St. Catharines, Ontario. There are some photos, slides, and news clippings related to the carousel in Port Dalhousie. Linda’s mother, Dorothy Crabtree, was instrumental in raising funds to keep the carousel in Lakeside Park.The fonds includes the personal diaries and journals of Linda Crabtree. Some of these diaries are restricted until 2035. The restricted items are noted in the finding aid.

Description

Linda Crabtree (1924-2025) was a writer, artist, and disability rights advocate. Much of her work centred around creating a community to support those with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (which she was afflicted with), and making Niagara accessible to people with disabilities. Linda was born in St. Catharines to Floyd and Dorothy Crabtree in 1942. When she was 16 months old, her parents became aware that there was something wrong with her. Her feet were flat, although she was born with high arches. After numerous trips to various doctors, Linda was erroneously diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and polio. She was prescribed exercises to help strengthen her feet and ankles, but she continued to get weaker. Soon after she was prescribed lace-up leather boots with metal braces to help her walk. At the age of 12, it was suspected by a doctor and family friend that Linda had Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a genetic, progressively debilitating neuromuscular disease that often begins by affecting a person’s ability to walk. At 17, Linda was hired to work in the library of the local community newspaper, the St. Catharines Standard. At 21, she moved to Montreal to study at the Sir George Williams University School of Art and graduated in 1966. She eventually returned to St. Catharines and worked once again at the St. Catharines Standard, this time in the editorial department. She became the art columnist and assistant family editor for the newspaper for 15 years. In 1982 she was forced to retire because of her disability. With her husband Ron Book, Linda founded and operated CMT International for 18 years. This charitable organized provided information and support for people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease. During this time, she wrote a monthly column for the St. Catharines Standard on disability issues, known as "Access Niagara”. Linda also became a student at Brock University and studied Psychology, graduating with her degree in 1987. In addition to these activities, she helped create a website that directed disabled tourists to accessible attractions throughout Niagara. She also wrote an autobiography in 2017, titled CMT and Me: an intimate 75-year journey of love, loss and refusal to surrender to a disabling disease. For her advocacy work for the rights of the disabled, Linda received numerous awards. She was invested in the Order of Canada (1994), Order of Ontario (1992), and Terry Fox Hall of Fame. She was also the recipient of King Clancy Award from the Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons (2004), Volunteer of the Year award from the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, and was awarded an Honorary Degree from Brock University in 1994.

Keywords

People with disabilities, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, Accessibility, Port Dalhousie (Ont.)--History, Universal Design

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https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19827

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1. Archival Finding Aids

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CC0 1.0 Universal
Except where otherwised noted, this item's license is described as CC0 1.0 Universal