The Story of Mary Dohey's Cross of Valour
Date: Mar 26
2:30 pm
- 3:30 pm
Where: Theatre
Coffee & Culture
Born in Saint Bride's, Newfoundland in 1933, and raised in Red Head Cove, Mary Dohey was the first living person, and first woman to receive the Cross of Valour Award. This is Canada?s highest award for civilian bravery, and was presented to Mary on December 1st, 1975. She was honoured with this award after she put her own life in danger in order to save the lives of fellow staff, and passengers on a DC-8 aircraft flying from Calgary, Alberta. Mary Dohey trained as a psychiatric nurse before becoming a flight attendant with Trans-Canada Air Lines (today Air Canada). On November 12, 1971 Mary put that training to use as she talked down an armed hijacker. During an eight hour ordeal Mary discouraged the man from taking any other violent measures. Mary?s act of bravery in the face of such danger saved the lives of over 200 people. Mary returned to her work as a flight attendant, retiring in 1991, and passing away in 2017 at the age of 83. Join Curator of History Maureen Power to learn more about Mary's story, and see the Cross of Valour Award on display at The Rooms. ASL/English Interpreting Services are available through NLAD by request only to ASLservices@therooms.ca or 709-757-8090. We will do our best to accommodate requests made within two weeks of the scheduled event.
Events & Programs
Join us for a delightful morning at The Rooms!
Bring your little ones to our enchanting Harbour View Room for unguided playtime surrounded by an array of toys and books tailored for infants and toddlers aged 0 to 4.
No prior registration is necessary; simply pay your admission at The Rooms front desk and drop in anytime between 10:30 am and 12:00 pm! Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please note that caregivers must accompany their children throughout the session. While our program room can accommodate up to 20 adults with their little ones, if it reaches capacity, we kindly ask caregivers to momentarily step back to make room for others to join in the fun.
The Playdate is included in the cost of admission. Free for Rooms Members.
With support from Thomas and Susan (Kent) Foran Family Foundation.
Eco printing is a great technique for those new to natural dyes. It has a striking visual impact, is easy to learn, and everyone comes away with something — in this case, a piece of silk fabric and dyed watercolour paper. Natural dyeing, the process of adding colour to textile materials through the use of natural materials such as plants or animals, was added to the 2024 Craft at Risk List and listed as Endangered.
Cost: $40 plus HST. 10% discount for Rooms members. All materials included. Register online!
About the Presenter:
Susan Furneaux is a teacher, artist, craft consultant, and mentor. She specializes in natural dye and fibre techniques, learning, teaching, and exhibiting throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, nationally and internationally. Susan has won multiple awards for her embroidery, natural dyes, and innovative use of natural materials, including the 2024 Arts NL Arts and Education Award. In 2022, Susan was a mentor with Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Motivated by reciprocal knowledge exchange, capacity building, and the preservation of traditional skills, Furneaux shared the craft of Bark Tanning.
Presented in partnership with Heritage NL.
Come with your family to share in The Rooms Provincial Archives Open House!
Visit the Reference Room to see archival treasures, talk to reference staff about genealogy collections, or take a “Behind the Scenes” vault tour.
Vault tours: 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm
Children can also join in the fun by creating their own handprint family trees or making a personalized button. Enjoy coffee, cookies, and prizes!
Free event.
Peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador
Stroll across land and sea, and through time, to meet the peoples who have made Newfoundland and Labrador home for the past 9,000 years.
Each tour is approximately 30 – 40 minutes and is included in the cost of admission. Free for Rooms members.