Memorable Manitobans: William Fairbairn Currie “Bill” Billyard (1902-1985)

Educator, civil servant.

Born at Morris on 27 May 1902, son of Margaret Anne Currie (?-?), following teacher training, he taught in rural Manitoba, including at Fisher Branch School (1919), Great Falls School (1923-1928), and Myrtle School (Principal, 1930-1934) as well as Principal of the Correspondence Branch (?-?) of the Provincial Department of Education. He served as Secretary of the Northeastern Manitoba Teachers’ Association (1926-?), was actively involved in the Manitoba Government Employees Association, including two terms as President of Canadian Council of Provincial Employee Associations’ (1959-1961), and was a member of the Granite Curling Club. On 30 June 1931, he married fellow teacher Elsie Frances Coates (1906-1991) in the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie. He died at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital on 22 April 1985 and donated his body to medical science, with his remains later buried in the Brookside Cemetery.

Sources:

Birth [Elsie Frances Coates] and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1921 & 1926 Canada census, Library and Archives Canada.

“B. A. Tingley heads northeast teachers,” Manitoba Free Press, 9 November 1926, page 6.

“M.G.E.A. members hold banquet and dance,” Dauphin Herald & Press, 15 December 1955, page 4.

“4 attending Banff meet,” Winnipeg Tribune, 6 May 1959, page 4.

“City man elected head of council,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 May 1960, page 11.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 3 May 1985, page 43.

Obituary [Elsie Frances Billyard], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 November 1991, page C36.

Burial transcription, Brookside Cemetery, City of Winnipeg.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 29 November 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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