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George Charles Waight
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Banker, actor.
Born at London, England on 23 June 1892, son of Charles Francis Stephen Waight and Rosa Bagley, he emigrated to Canada by himself at the age of 15 and came to Gladstone. During the First World War, he went overseas as a member of the University Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. On his return to Canada, in 1919 he found work with the Bank of Commerce, staying there until retirement in 1957. During the Second World War, he served as a member of the Victory Committee and was one of the organizers of “If Day”.
He was a regular performer with the Winnipeg Little Theatre, forerunner of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. He was the voice of Santa Claus on the Eaton’s Christmas radio show from 1935 to 1965, and was one of the founders of “Beer and Skits” by the Winnipeg Press Club, of which he was an Honorary Life Member. He was “Dr. Query” on Winnipeg’s first radio quiz show. He was President of the Canukeena Club (1947-1948).
On 5 August 1926, he married Dorothy Gladys Thomas (1903-1934) at Winnipeg. They had a daughter, Frances Dorothy Waight (1929-2018, wife of Harold Gould Macdonald). In 1937, he married Ellen Olive “Nellie” Bradley (1906-2007). During his lifetime, he amassed a considerable collection of historical documents, some of which were sold to the Archives of Manitoba in 1974, including the journals of Edward Worrell Jarvis.
He retired to Victoria, British Columbia in 1976 and died there on 13 December 1985.
Attestation papers, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.
Marriage registration [George Charles Waight, Dorothy Gladys Thomas], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Death registration [Dorothy Gladys Waight], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Dorothy Gladys Waight], Winnipeg Tribune, 17 November 1934, page 28.
“George Waight,” Manitoba Calling, Vol. 12, No. 6, June 1948, page 11.
“Frances Waight is bride of Rev. Harold G. Macdonald,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 May 1954, page 11.
“Who says Winnipeg hasn't any characters?” by J. W. Chafe, Winnipeg Free Press, 30 January 1965.
Death registration [George Charles Waight], British Columbia Vital Statistics.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 15 December 1985, page 25.
“Actor George Waight dead at 93,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 December 1985, page 28.
Obituary [Ellen Olive Waight], Neil Bardal Funeral Centre.
Obituary [Frances Dorothy Macdonald], Winnipeg Free Press, 3 February 2018.
We thank Mike Murtha for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 18 August 2023
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