Irva Ford

This is the Society's own tribute to a president leaving office: “Irva Ford, Our Past President,” Summer 1972, page 6, unsigned. The paper prints her name IRVA.

Hamilton, and twenty years in leathercraft

“Mrs. Irva Ford of Hamilton was born and attended school in the Hanover - Owen Sound area, she later became a teacher in Toronto. When Irva married she moved to Hamilton where her three children were born. She is the mother of two boys and a girl, all are now professional musicians.”

• Born and schooled in the Hanover–Owen Sound area; taught school in Toronto, then married and moved to Hamilton, where her three children — two boys and a girl, all now professional musicians — were born
• Charter member and first president of the Hamilton Leathercraft Guild, and a charter member of the Hamilton Artisans' Guild
• Associate 1957, Fellow 1958; twenty years' experience in leathercraft by 1972
• President of the Society, 1969–1972 — the first C.S.C.L. Prestige Exhibition held in 1970 and the second at Woodstock in 1972, and standards for work accepted for sale drawn up and published during her term
• Studied under Muriel Burnaby (gloves), the Jack McDougall Studio and Mumart Studio of Creative Leathercraft, all in Toronto, and a McMaster University summer school under Don MacKinnon; taught leather in Hamilton at every opportunity, including twenty years at Westdale Secondary night school
• Custom commissions: a portfolio for Ellen Fairclough, M.P., from the Hamilton Council of Women; a leather cover for an old German newspaper presented to the Mayor of Hamburg; motorcycle tool boxes for a World Championship race in Ireland; and cases for solid gold toothpicks
• Life member of the Women's Art Association of Hamilton and the Anglican Church Women; died 11 October 1977, twenty-one years to the day after founding the Hamilton Leathercraft Guild — the Society's own Irva Ford Award is named for her

“She was always interested in crafts, particularly woodcarving and leathercraft, she was a charter member and first president of the Hamilton Leathercraft Guild; a charter member of Hamilton Artisan's Guild; President of C.S.C.L. 1969 - 1972. During the time of her Presidency, the first C.S.C.L. Prestige Exhibition was held in 1970 and the second C.S.C.L. Exhibition in Woodstock in 1972. Also during this time, Standards for work accepted for sale were drawn up and published. Irva is also a life member of the Women's Art Assoc'n of Hamilton and the Anglican Church women.”

Instruction, and teaching in turn

“During twenty years experience in leathercraft, Irva has received instruction from Miss Muriel Burnaby, Toronto (gloves); Jack McDougall Studio, Toronto; Mumart Studio of Creative Leathercraft, Toronto; and McMaster University summer school under Mr. Don MacKinnon. Irva has taught leather in Hamilton at every and all available opportunities, and has taught at Westdale Secondary night school for the past twenty years.”

“Irva has earned her Associate standing for excellence in craftsmanship and in 1958 became a Fellow of C.S.C.L., portraying good design along with her ability in craftsmanship. She has participated in many exhibitions and won awards at International Assemblies of Leathercraft in U.S.A. and Canada, Canadian Pacific Exhibition; Can. Guild of Crafts at C.N.E. (4 years); Best in Show at Hamilton Handicraft Sale and Hamilton Artisans Guild design award 1970 and 1971 - workmanship in 1971.”

The award record bears this out well beyond the one page: prizes and ribbons credited to Irva Ford run from a 1957 Canadian Handicrafts Guild Honourable Mention through International Assembly Salon and Craftsmanship ribbons in 1962–65, Canadian Handicrafts Guild firsts in 1965 and 1973, Design Canada and Leather '74 awards, five Leather '76 certificates with three Salon awards and a Weston Trophy ribbon the same year, and three Craftsman ribbons in 1977 — dozens of results across twenty years, 1957 to 1977.

Commissions

“Interesting custom designed commissions by Irva have been:
1.  Portfolio presented to Ellen Fairclough M. P. by Hamilton Council of Women.
2.  Leather cover for an old German Newspaper presented to the Mayor of Hamburg, Germany.
3.  Motorcycle tool boxes for World's Championship Races in Ireland.
4.  Leather cases for solid gold toothpicks.”

Ellen Fairclough was the Member of Parliament for Hamilton West and Canada's first woman federal Cabinet minister — the same city as Irva Ford's own guild and branch, which is very likely why the commission came to her.

“Irva Ford has contributed greatly to the growth and interest in Leathercraft in so many ways there is not room to mention them all here. Thank you Irva and we wish you many more years of successful teaching of Leathercraft.”

She did not have many more: Irva Ford died on 11 October 1977, twenty-one years to the day after she founded the Hamilton Leathercraft Guild. The Society's own In Memoriam testimonial, printed that Winter, called her “the guiding force behind our first Prestige Exhibition” and said, “We all feel we lost a friend when Irva left us so suddenly.” The competition the modern Society calls the Irva Ford Award, still given today, is named for her.

From “Irva Ford, Our Past President,” the Summer 1972 newsletter, page 6.