The Great Stork Derby was a contest held from 1926 to 1936. Female residents of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, competed to produce the most babies in order to qualify for an unusual bequest in a will.[1]
The race was the product of a scheme by Charles Vance Millar (1853–1926), a Toronto lawyer, financier, and practical joker, who bequeathed the residue of his significant estate to the woman in Toronto who could produce the most children in the decade following his death.[2]
It is one of many unusual bequests in his will, along with giving a vacation home in Jamaica to a group of three men who detested each other under the condition that they live in the estate together indefinitely, brewery stocks to a group of prominent teetotal Protestant ministers if they participated in its operations and collected its dividends, and jockey club stocks to a group of anti-horse-racing advocates.
Litigation over the validity of the contest was resolved when the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the clause's validity.[3] The Court further held the clause did not encompass children born out of wedlock, or stillborn.[3]
CompetitionEdit
Eleven families competed in the "baby race."[4] Seven of them were disqualified,[4] but eventually Judge William Edward Middleton ruled in favour of four mothers[4][5] (Annie Katherine Smith, Kathleen Ellen Nagle, Lucy Alice Timleck[6][failed verification] and Isabel Mary Maclean) who each received $110,000 for their nine children ($2.02 million in 2021 dollars)[7]. Three of the four had to pay back relief money given to them by the City of Toronto government.[8] Two of the disqualified candidates, Lillian Kenny and Pauline Mae Clarke, each received $12,500 out of court in exchange for abandoning pending appeals.[5]
In popular cultureEdit
The Canadian 2002 TV movie The Stork Derby, depicted the stories of Lillian Kenny, Pauline Mae Clarke and Grace Bagnato and starred Megan Follows. The film was based upon Elizabeth Wilton's book Bearing The Burden: The Great Toronto Stork Derby 1926–1938.
In February 2019, the radio program This American Life covered the story in some detail.[9]
In 2016, Toronto's Muddy York Brewing Company produced a Stork Derby Stout as a nod to the unusual event.
The 2023 novel Prize Women by Caroline Lea is a fictionalized account of the Stork Derby, and includes several real-life figures as characters.
ReferencesEdit
^Goldenberg, David (December 11, 2015). "How A Dead Millionaire Convinced Dozens of Women To Have As Many Babies As Possible". FiveThirtyEight Science. from the original on January 13, 2016. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
^Orkin, Mark M. Millar, Charles Vance June 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, The Canadian Encyclopedia online. Retrieved April 17, 2009;
^ abIn Re Estate of Charles Millar (1937), [1938] 1 D.L.R. 65 (Supreme Court of Canada)
^ abcSchwartz, Susan (December 9, 1981). "Prim Toronto was site of baby race". The Gazette. Montreal. from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
^ ab"Last of 'Stork Derby'?". Ottawa Citizen. May 31, 1938. from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
^"BIG FAMILY, BIG PRIZE". Reuters. January 17, 2002. from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2021 – via Philippine Daily Inquirer.
^1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021. and table 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
^McAree, J. V. (December 27, 1944). "MOTHERS COMPETED FOR THE MILLAR PRIZE". The Globe and Mail. p. 6.
^Foo, Stephanie (February 15, 2019). "Babies Got Bank" (Audio podcast with transcript). This American Life. from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
great, stork, derby, contest, held, from, 1926, 1936, female, residents, toronto, ontario, canada, competed, produce, most, babies, order, qualify, unusual, bequest, will, charles, vance, millar, whose, will, sparked, contents, background, competition, popular. The Great Stork Derby was a contest held from 1926 to 1936 Female residents of Toronto Ontario Canada competed to produce the most babies in order to qualify for an unusual bequest in a will 1 Charles Vance Millar whose will sparked the Great Stork Derby Contents 1 Background 2 Competition 3 In popular culture 4 References 5 External linksBackground EditThe race was the product of a scheme by Charles Vance Millar 1853 1926 a Toronto lawyer financier and practical joker who bequeathed the residue of his significant estate to the woman in Toronto who could produce the most children in the decade following his death 2 It is one of many unusual bequests in his will along with giving a vacation home in Jamaica to a group of three men who detested each other under the condition that they live in the estate together indefinitely brewery stocks to a group of prominent teetotal Protestant ministers if they participated in its operations and collected its dividends and jockey club stocks to a group of anti horse racing advocates Litigation over the validity of the contest was resolved when the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the clause s validity 3 The Court further held the clause did not encompass children born out of wedlock or stillborn 3 Competition EditEleven families competed in the baby race 4 Seven of them were disqualified 4 but eventually Judge William Edward Middleton ruled in favour of four mothers 4 5 Annie Katherine Smith Kathleen Ellen Nagle Lucy Alice Timleck 6 failed verification and Isabel Mary Maclean who each received 110 000 for their nine children 2 02 million in 2021 dollars 7 Three of the four had to pay back relief money given to them by the City of Toronto government 8 Two of the disqualified candidates Lillian Kenny and Pauline Mae Clarke each received 12 500 out of court in exchange for abandoning pending appeals 5 In popular culture EditThe Canadian 2002 TV movie The Stork Derby depicted the stories of Lillian Kenny Pauline Mae Clarke and Grace Bagnato and starred Megan Follows The film was based upon Elizabeth Wilton s book Bearing The Burden The Great Toronto Stork Derby 1926 1938 In February 2019 the radio program This American Life covered the story in some detail 9 In 2016 Toronto s Muddy York Brewing Company produced a Stork Derby Stout as a nod to the unusual event The 2023 novel Prize Women by Caroline Lea is a fictionalized account of the Stork Derby and includes several real life figures as characters References Edit Goldenberg David December 11 2015 How A Dead Millionaire Convinced Dozens of Women To Have As Many Babies As Possible FiveThirtyEight Science Archived from the original on January 13 2016 Retrieved January 12 2016 Orkin Mark M Millar Charles Vance Archived June 8 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Canadian Encyclopedia online Retrieved April 17 2009 a b In Re Estate of Charles Millar 1937 1938 1 D L R 65 Supreme Court of Canada a b c Schwartz Susan December 9 1981 Prim Toronto was site of baby race The Gazette Montreal Archived from the original on May 15 2021 Retrieved September 28 2020 a b Last of Stork Derby Ottawa Citizen May 31 1938 Archived from the original on May 15 2021 Retrieved September 28 2020 BIG FAMILY BIG PRIZE Reuters January 17 2002 Archived from the original on May 15 2021 Retrieved March 8 2021 via Philippine Daily Inquirer 1688 to 1923 Geloso Vincent A Price Index for Canada 1688 to 1850 December 6 2016 Afterwards Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18 10 0005 01 formerly CANSIM 326 0021 Consumer Price Index annual average not seasonally adjusted Statistics Canada Retrieved April 17 2021 and table 18 10 0004 13 Consumer Price Index by product group monthly percentage change not seasonally adjusted Canada provinces Whitehorse Yellowknife and Iqaluit Statistics Canada Retrieved April 17 2021 McAree J V December 27 1944 MOTHERS COMPETED FOR THE MILLAR PRIZE The Globe and Mail p 6 Foo Stephanie February 15 2019 Babies Got Bank Audio podcast with transcript This American Life Archived from the original on May 15 2021 Retrieved February 17 2019 Portals nbsp History nbsp Law nbsp CanadaExternal links EditSnopes com summary of the event The Stork Derby at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Great Stork Derby amp oldid 1144945883, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
