Gertrude Hilder
← People of the Society · on record 1966–1988
Everything the Society’s own records say of Gertrude Hilder — the offices held, the standings conferred, and the awards won — gathered on one page. Where the records are silent, so is this one.
This is the Society’s own record of Gertrude Hilder. A biography: Who’s Who in Leathercraft · Summer 1982 →
Possibly the same person: J. Hilder →
The Canadian National Exhibition prize lists of 1963 and 1964 give a third prize to “Mrs. J. Hilder, Oxford Jct. Nova Scotia”. Gertrude Hilder is the Society’s Nova Scotia member of Oxford Junction, who contributed articles to the Society’s sale at the C.N.E. in 1963, 1964 and 1969 and demonstrated there, and whose own prize rows are printed from Oxford Jct. N.S. No second Hilder appears anywhere in the archive, so the initial J. is probably a misreading — but it is what the pages print, and the 1963 and 1964 rows are left where they were read.
Also recorded as Gertrode Hilder, Gertrude B. Hilder, Mrs. G. B. Hilder, Mrs. G.B. Hilder
Standing
Society Member 1988
Certification
- Associate of the CSCL 1982
She was self-taught — from books, from watching demonstrations at the Society’s Annual Meetings and asking questions — apart from instruction in glove making in 1946, and gloves and laced articles were her special skills. She taught leathercraft in adult-education classes and at church camps from 1948 to 1972, contributed articles to the Society’s sale at the C.N.E. in 1963, 1964 and 1969 and demonstrated there, won awards from 1975 at Nova Scotia provincial exhibitions and the Atlantic Winter Fair and from 1978 to 1980 in C.N.E. competitions, and had four articles — gloves, a belt, a wallet and a plaque — accepted for “Leather ’80”, the Society’s biennial exhibition. She was a member for 25 years and a leathercrafter for 35 when she was named an Associate at the Annual Meeting of 1 May 1982, and in 1982 she also won the Zalitis Pin for the highest marks on her submitted work. She reached Associate standing, Helen Wheaton wrote, by overcoming “isolation and distance”. She showed four pieces at Leather '82, the Society's exhibition at the City of Brampton Library and Art Gallery, Bramalea, 3 July to 1 August 1982. She won Craftsman Ribbons and prizes at the Canadian National Exhibition through the early 1980s, along with the C.S.C.L. Award, Judge's Special Choice, and the Mary Zatyko Award for Best Soft Leather Article in 1986. She made a square for the CSCL Leather Quilt. She showed five pieces in the Society's exhibition at the Etobicoke Art Gallery, 4-29 September 1992. At the Canadian National Exhibition of 1966 she won second prize for a carved leather article of commercial design, the prize list printing her as Mrs. G.B. Hilder of Port Howe, N.S.
From Summer 1982, page 9; Fall 1998, page 2; Leather ’82 — exhibition catalogue, Brampton Public Library and Art Gallery, page 4; Etobicoke Art Gallery exhibition 1992 — catalogue, page 13; and Spring 1966, page 2.
Honours
- Zalitis Pin 1982
Awarded with her Associate standing at the 32nd Annual Meeting, 1 May 1982, Holiday Inn, Toronto, for the highest marks on her submitted work. Unable to attend through illness; Olivia Smith accepted the Associate certificate on her behalf.
Awards
- Bramalea Ribbon, Leather '82 1982
- C.S.C.L. Award, Judge's Special Choice 1986
- Canadian National Exhibition Category 214 — 2nd 1978
- Canadian National Exhibition Category 219 — 3rd 1978
- Canadian National Exhibition Hobby Class 211 (Wearing Apparel) 1980
- Canadian National Exhibition Hobby Class 212 (Belts) 1980
- Canadian National Exhibition Hobby Class 213 (Handbags and Carrying Cases) 1980
- Canadian National Exhibition Hobby Class 216 (Jewellery) 1980
- Canadian National Exhibition Hobby Class 460 (65 years or over - Jewellery) 1980
- Canadian National Exhibition Hobby Class 461 (65 years or over - Leather, any article) 1980
- Canadian National Exhibition Second Prize 1966
- Craftsman Ribbon 1982–1983
- Craftsman Ribbon Honourable Mention 1983
- Mary Zatyko Memorial Award for Best Soft Leather Article 1986
- Zalitis Pin 1982