Norma Bidwell Collection

Norma Bidwell began a career in freelance writing by selling a number of short stories to CBC Radio and various magazines. She began working for the Hamilton Spectator in 1951 first as a reporter-photographer in the Women's Department, and then became food editor, a position she held until her retirement in 1980. Food and nutrition writing took her to the United States and Europe, as well as across Canada. She received many awards including those from the Canadian Women's Press Club and US-Canadian Newspaper Food Editors Association. Bidwell began her Hamilton Spectator weekly column "Norma's Stoveline" after her retirement as food editor. This continued until July 2006. She has also written two cookbooks for the Hamilton Spectator.