Isabella Mary Abbott

Abbott was born in Quebec City, the daughter of Marianne J. (née Campbell) and Arthur Edward Abbott, and the granddaughter of former Prime Minister Sir John Abbott.^[1][2] She exhibited with the Art Association of Montreal before showing her work with the Royal Canadian Academy in 1922 and 1923. Abbott served as a volunteer nurse in France during World War I.^[3] She worked with the Canadian Handicrafts Guild as the secretary-treasurer from 1924 until February 1929.^[4] Abbott was also secretary to the dean of Sciences at McGill University. Abbott returned to work with the Guild in the 1950s, working until her death in 1955.^[3][5]

She married John Orme Plummer (1894–1977) in Quebec City in February 1929. Their only child, actor Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer, was born on December 13 of that year, in Toronto.^[3] The couple had separated by the end of the year.

American actress Amanda Plummer is their granddaughter.