At the close of the 19th century in Fredericton, Sarah Grace Young emerged as one of the most accomplished women in the business realm. Alongside her sister Eve, she established the highly prosperous Bonnet Hall, a millinery business, around 1883. This thriving venture employed a considerable workforce of up to ten skilled milliners, contributing to its success.
Sarah eventually married Peter MacDonald, and in 1905, they embarked on the construction of an opulent residence located at 222 Waterloo Row in Fredericton. The house, characterized by its abundance of gabled dormers, exquisite wood trim, and embellished bays, was named Glen Isla, reminiscent of Peter’s ancestral home in Scotland. Interestingly, due to its association with Sarah’s business endeavors, the local community predominantly referred to it as Bonnet Hall, recognizing its connection to her prosperous millinery enterprise.
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Sarah Grace Young (my great-great-aunt) went by her middle name, Grace. This house was built with money she earned from her business, “The Misses Young,” which was located on Queen Street. Her husband was a clerk in her store. She travelled to Paris a number of times to find and purchase the most up-to-date millinery patterns. Several of Grace’s sisters were also in the millinery business, one of them in St. Stephen.