Memorable Manitobans: William James Westwood (1887-1962)

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William James Westwood
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Banker, notary public and municipal clerk, MLA (1917-1920), MLA (1933-1936).

Born near Rapid City on 19 August 1887, son of Frederick Thomas “Fred” Westwood (c1844-1916) and Sarah Jane Gregory (c1858-1932), he attended the Brandon Baptist College. He was a manager of the Union Bank of Canada at Roblin from December 1906 to November 1917, when he was elected MLA at a by-election for the Roblin constituency, replacing Frederic Young Newton, and served the balance of one term.

Westwood represented Roblin again as a Liberal Progressive MLA from 1932 to 1936, being defeated in the 1936 general election. In 1920 he became Secretary-Treasurer of the Municipality of Shell River, serving until 1946, and was Mayor of Roblin (1944-1946). In 1946, he moved to Russell and operated a hardware store until two years before his death.

On 25 December 1912, he married Carrie Marie Hartford (1890-1974, daughter of Samuel Hartford, of Edmonton, Alberta). They had three sons: Frederick Samuel Westwood (1915-2002), William Hartford “Bill” Westwood (1919-?), and Harold A. Westwood (?-?). He was Secretary of the Roblin Pool Elevator Association and a member of the United Church of Canada.

He died at Russell on 7 March 1962 and was buried in the Roblin Cemetery.

Sources:

Death registration [Frederick Thomas Westwood], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Birth registration [William Hartford Westwood], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

The Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1934.

“Westwood wins,” Manitoba Free Press, 20 November 1917, page 1.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 12 March 1962, page 26.

Dictionary of Manitoba Biography by John M. “Jack” Bumsted, Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1999.

Obituary [Frederick Samuel Westwood], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 June 2002.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

We thank Trevor Westwood for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 22 October 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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