Left at The Wellgate:
The Untold Story of Mary Petrie Smith
Exhibition in Dundee, Scotland
On September 14, 1911, Mary Petrie Smith made a life-altering choice: she left her two young sons in their pram outside a pub at the top of the Wellgate Steps and boarded a ship to Canada. Now, 113 years later, this exhibition gives Mary a voice. But is this the whole truth? Did she really abandon everything, or is there more to her story than we’ll
ever know?
Written and designed by Mary’s descendant, Jamie Lees, and her partner, Frank D'Angelo, the exhibition invites you to explore what may have truly happened that day in 1911—and what could have driven Mary to make such a drastic decision.
Below is a glimpse of the exhibition, which opened on Saturday, September 14, 2024,
to a sizeable audience at the Central Library in the Wellgate, Dundee, Scotland. Shown below, are four of the fifteen panels featured in the exhibition, along with excerpts from the accompanying museum panel descriptions.
Jamie Lees stands next to the exhibition signage, featuring the collage created by designer and artist Adam Piggot.
The exhibition brochure sitting on top of one of the three exhibition display cases.
The Exhibition Opening - Saturday, September 14, 2024
This transatlantic exhibition began with a pivotal letter in May 2023, when Jamie received an offer from the library for a 30-day exhibition. With that opportunity, the work between Scotland and Canada unfolded. Erin Farley and Adam Piggot managed the efforts on the ground in Scotland, while Jamie Lees and Frank D'Angelo coordinated the project from Canada, ensuring the logistics and many moving parts came together seamlessly.
Left to right: Adam Piggot, designer & artist; Jamie Lees, designer, writer, & curator; Frank D'Angelo, designer; and Dr. Erin Farley, project lead—the team from Scotland
and Canada that brought the exhibition to fruition.
The involvement of the Clark family was vital to this exhibition, as they are the great-niece and great-nephew of William Clark, Mary’s husband in Scotland. Pictured left to right: Vicky Christie (nee Clark), and her brother Nigel Clark, Jamie Lees, and Frank D'Angelo.
Left: Dr. Erin Farley welcomed guests to the exhibition opening, shared insights on the planning and logistics of the transatlantic project, along with details about the upcoming talks and events. Centre: Adam Piggot discussed The Wellgate Project, explained his vision to recreate through pictures and story, the Wellgate shopping district, much of which has been demolished over the years. Jamie’s letter about Mary’s story was among the first submissions. Right: Jamie Lees, Mary’s great granddaughter and co-owner of Jank Words & Pictures, gave an emotional welcome, offering background on Mary’s remarkable story.
June Buchanan recites Cuddle Doon, a poem by Scottish poet Alexander Anderson, at the exhibition opening, at Jamie's request. The poem holds deep meaning, as Mary was known to recite it to a young disabled fishing lassie in her hometown of Arbroath. Did she also whisper these words to her sons as she pushed their pram to the top of the Wellgate Steps that September 14th morning?
Watch the Opening Day Highlights
Step inside the launch of Left at The Wellgate: The Untold Story of Mary Petrie Smith. This video captures the heartfelt opening remarks from Dr. Erin Farley, Adam Piggot, and Jamie Lees, offering a glimpse into the collaboration, inspiration, and emotion behind the exhibition. A powerful start to a story that’s been waiting over a century to be told.
The exhibition spans three walls and three display cases in the Central Library in Dundee. Each of the fifteen panels are 2 feet by 2.5 feet in size. All except panel #7 which is 4 feet by 1.5 feet and depicts Mary's ship, S.S. Laurentic.
"Sensitively curated; still almost too much to take in. What women and families experienced in early 1900's with the expectations of women and mothers, then and even now. Not to be missed."
- Wendy Johnson
"A very moving and interesting story. Absolutely amazed
by the level of research and documentation, all put together and
presented clearly and professionally. Remarkable."
- John Simpson
One of the artifacts in the display case; a small book leant to the project by Mary’s great grandson, Jamie's brother, Robbie Burns Lees.
"This is such a moving exploration of a woman’s life.
So glad this story has not been lost."
- Dorothy Howarth
A Glimpse into the Story: Highlights from the Exhibition Panels
In this section, we invite you to explore a selection of four panels from the fifteen panel exhibition, showcasing key moments in Mary Petrie Smith's journey. Each panel offers a glimpse into her life, the challenges she faced, and the historical context surrounding her decision to leave Dundee for Canada. Delve into these highlights to gain a deeper understanding of the rich narrative woven throughout the exhibition. (Click on panels to enlarge).
Panel #1 - Left at The Wellgate: The Untold Story
of Mary Petrie Smith
... Her Canadian family knew little of her past. Mary was tight-lipped, refusing to answer questions, and would not have been pleased if anyone pried. Some whispered she was an orphan,a gypsy, or a Home Child sent to Canada from the UK.
This exhibition presents a collection of photos, letters, and documents to unravel Mary’s life-changing decision. As you journey through her story, you’ll notice key landmarks, crumbling behind her as if parts of her life were buried or hidden—not by her, but by the passage of time—much like the secrets within her little black-covered, lined notebook featured on this panel ...
Panel #7 - Full Steam Ahead: Voyage to A New World
... Mary likely traveled by train from Dundee to Port Glasgow before making her way to Liverpool, where she boarded the White Star Line S.S. Laurentic. The ship’s manifest lists her as Mary Clark, single, in third class, departing the morning of Saturday, September 16, bound for Montreal. From there, she would travel by train to Perth, Ontario, where she had secured a domestic service position ...
Panel #8 - Two Years Three Cities: 1911-1913 Perth - Kingston - Collingwood
... By the spring of 1912, Mary had moved 60 miles west of Perth to Kingston, living at 290 Wellington Street, listed as the "widow of William Clark."
What caused her domestic service position to end in Perth remains a mystery. Her family in Canada always believed that Mary and Andrew Lees met in Kingston, though there are no records of how or when. Panel four (not shown here), shows them living in very close proximity, in fact, Andrew Lees' parents and Mary's in laws, the Clark's, lived next door to one another on Victoria Road in The Wellgate, Dundee.
On April 11, 1912, Mary and Andrew Lees married in Kingston. Later that year, on November 29, 1912, she gave birth to their son, James Burns Lees,
in Collingwood, Ontario ...
Panel #9 - Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken! 1913 -1920
... In 1913, Mary crossed into Niagara Falls, New York, with six-week-old James, making her way to Buffalo, where Andrew was already working.
On February 1, 1914, Mary gave birth to Adolph Shouteet Lees, the grandfather of Jamie Lees.
Meanwhile, in Dundee, William Clark, Mary’s first husband, enlisted in the 4th Battalion of the Black Watch Regiment. Their sons, John D., age five,
and Gordon, age four, were being raised in part
by William’s parents and sister, Winnie,
at 58 Victoria Road.
William sustained a severe head injury in June 1915, admitted to hospital in Rouen, France, then Tranmere, details documented in a letter from the Black Watch Museum ...
"Amazing combination of careful research and creativity.
Thank you for sharing it."
- Sue Moody
Exhibition Talks and Workshops
In conjunction with the exhibition, we hosted a series of talks and workshops led by experts in Scottish history and archival research. Facilitators included Dr. Esther Breitenbach from the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Morag Allan Campbell from University of St. Andrews, and Caroline Brown, Archivist at the University of Dundee. Their insights helped deepen the exploration of Mary Petrie Smith’s story and its historical context.
Workshop Description: Step into the role of a detective as you unravel the life-changing decision of Mary Petrie Smith, who in 1911 left her two young sons in their pram outside a pub in The Wellgate and boarded a ship bound for Canada. Working in pairs, you’ll examine exhibition panels, personal letters, and genealogical records to gather clues and form your own interpretation of why she made this heart-wrenching choice. Each pair will present their distinct perspective, contributing to the collective understanding of Mary’s story.
One of the wall panels that workshop participants examined for ideas to assist in unravelling Mary’s story.
A collection of Mary's letters written to her family, preserved in this binder, provides workshop participants with vital clues to help form their hypotheses.
One of the three display cases in the exhibition containing photos, letters and documents.
Working in pairs, the groups brought together their unique perspectives, combining local knowledge, historical expertise, and research skills with a touch of old-fashioned intuition. The participants were encouraged to delve deeper into the story of Mary Petrie Smith, uncovering new insights and sparking thoughtful discussions.
Nigel Clark, along with Erin and Jamie, served as facilitators, guiding participants and answering questions they had throughout the workshop.
Vicky Christie (nee Clark), chatting with participants in the workshop.
After the sleuthing session, workshop participants came together to share their findings. Although no definitive conclusion was reached, new ideas and possibilities emerged, warranting further research. One intriguing theory suggested that Mary may have taken jewelry from her husband William Clark's family's watchmaking business to fund her passage to Canada.
"Fascinating exhibition and interesting and informative events
held in conjunction with it. Thank you."
- Elizabeth Foster
Erin introduces Dr. Esther Breitenbach and shares how her research in women's' work, coincides with Mary's story.
Jamie and Esther.
"Thank you for bringing her story home.
- Shirley McIntyre
Erin moderates a discussion with Dr. Morag Allan Campbell, focusing on her University of St. Andrews thesis, The Distressing Malady: Childbirth and Mental Illness in Scotland, 1820-1930. Caroline Brown, archivist at the University of Dundee, provides historical context about Dundee during the time Mary lived there.
Left to right: Erin, Caroline, Jamie, and Morag.
This project was built with the support, kindness, and collaboration of many.
Visit our With Gratitude page to meet the individuals and organizations who helped bring Mary’s story to life.
In a bittersweet moment, Jamie visits The Fit O' The Toon, the fishing community in Arbroath where Mary grew up. Though the fishing industry has faded from its former glory, it remains a unique and cherished part of both Mary’s and Jamie’s shared family history. This place still ties their story to the sea, bridging the distance between Scotland and Canada across generations.
Thank you for your interest in Mary's story. We invite you to subscribe to our monthly Jank & File Newsletter to follow the development of the theatrical production and exhibition picture book of Left at The Wellgate: The Untold Story of Mary Petrie Smith.