Journalist, civil servant.
Born at Ramsgate, Kent, England on 4 February 1871, he apprenticed in the newspaper industry at an early age and, in 1893, he became secretary to the Irish statesman, the Marquis of Waterford. After Lord Waterford’s death in October 1895, McDonald became secretary to Admiral Charles Beresford with whom he remained until the winter of 1900-01 when he took a job as a journalist on the Daily Mail. The next year he emigrated to Canada and settled at Winnipeg where he joined the editorial staff of the Manitoba Free Press. He then worked as private secretary to Conservative premier Rodmond Roblin for two years then, in 1907, for Liberal leader Edward Brown. Between 1912 and 1915 he was editor of the Moose Jaw Times, returning to Winnipeg on the election of T. C. Norris whereupon he became secretary to Thomas Johnson, later George Grierson. He resigned in September 1920 to become general secretary of the Orange Order in Canada, headquartered in Ottawa. He died on 6 February 1927 at his Winnipeg home, 96 Sherbrooke Street, after an illness of some 18 months.
Death registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“R. H. M'Donald dies after long illness,” newspaper clipping dated 10 February 1927. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B8]
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 8 December 2018
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