Press
With Gratitude...
We are profoundly grateful to the Lees, Smith, and Clark families of Scotland, Canada, and the USA for their support in
sharing Left at the Wellgate: The Untold Story of Mary Petrie Smith with the public, recognizing the delicate nature of telling Mary’s story.
To Esther Lees (nee Lawless), 1919-2004, Mary's daughter-in-law and Jamie's grandmother, whose intuition and investigative spirit led her to collect and preserve many of the items now featured in this exhibition. Her relentless curiosity made her and Jamie the perfect pair of detectives, working together to unravel the family mystery
Deep gratitude to Dr. Erin Farley, Local History Centre, Dundee, project lead and Adam Piggot, designer and artist of Glasgow, who both worked tirelessly since May 2023, with great sensitivity and respect for Mary’s story; discussing creative ideas and logistics, to bring the exhibition to fruition.
We are especially thankful to Dr. Linda Fleming for her correspondence about Scottish fishing communities and to Dr. Esther Breitenbach, both from University of Edinburgh. We also extend our gratitude to Dr. Morag Allan Campbell and Caroline Brown, University of Dundee archivist, who, along with Dr. Breitenbach, bring their expertise about women at the turn of the century, to the exhibition through upcoming public talks.
Recognition goes to Angus Archives, Arbroath Signal Tower Museum, Black Watch Museum, Central Library The Wellgate, Dundee City Archives, Eyemouth Museum, Leisure & Culture Dundee, Tay Valley Family History Society, University of Dundee, and University of St. Andrews in Scotland. In the USA, Library of Congress. In Canada, Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, and Queens University Archives, whose expertise and holdings have greatly enhanced the depth and breadth of the project.
Thank you to Nigel Clark, Vicky Christie (nee Clark), William Paterson, June Buchanan, and Donald Ross of Scotland, for their enthusiasm and friendship, Phil McLeod, Susan McLeod, and Lorraine Steele of SHO Studios, Windsor, Canada, for their ingenuity and creative comradery. To researchers and authors, Benoit Thibeault and Christine Macias, thank you for allowing us to include two pages about Mary’s life in Quebec in your recently published book, History of La Macaza, just as it was going to press.
We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the many supportive friends and strangers who took interest and connected to Mary’s story.
Lastly, Jamie Lees would like to personally thank Frank D'Angelo for his unwavering dedication to this project and his creative design talent in bringing the exhibition panels to life. It is through the audience's engagement that Mary's story is truly heard.
This exhibition is dedicated to Mary Petrie Smith. After 113 years, she is finally able to tell her side of the story, bringing the Lees family full circle—from Scotland to Canada and back again.