William Henry McGuire
Encyclopedia
William Henry McGuire was a Canadian
senator that represented East York
for 30 years.
, one of the 15 children of John and Ellen McGuire of Seymour Township. He attended high school in Campbellford, Ontario
, and was assisted in attaining higher education by an older brother, Father Michael McGuire, who was a Roman Catholic priest in the area. William “Billy” McGuire graduated from the University of Toronto
in 1903 and studied law at Osgoode Hall
.
, and then in Toronto
, and was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada
. He was named to the Senate of Canada by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
on December 20, 1926 and served East York until his death on October 31, 1957, an impressive total of 30 years, 10 months and 12 days.
Senator McGuire was influential in the Irish-Canadian/Roman Catholic communities. He and Senator Frank Patrick O’Connor (Scarborough Junction) acquired a vacant church in the village of Wexford
(Lawrence Avenue East, east of Victoria Park Avenue, now in the Scarborough area of Toronto) to found Precious Blood parish. Due to its once-vacant state, the original red brick church, even after its rejuvenation, was known for many years as "the pigeon church."
Senator McGuire also owned a farm with an English garden
named "Belmore" across Lawrence Avenue from the church and, although the area is now entirely urban and Wexford Collegiate Institute
occupies the site of his home, many of the mature trees in the area were planted by him.
, lawyer, international track and field athlete, and International Olympic Committee
representative to Canada.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
senator that represented East York
East York
East York can refer to:*East York, Pennsylvania, United States*East York, Ontario, Canada...
for 30 years.
Early life and education
William Henry McGuire was born May 31, 1875, on a family farm near Peterborough, OntarioPeterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
, one of the 15 children of John and Ellen McGuire of Seymour Township. He attended high school in Campbellford, Ontario
Campbellford, Ontario
Campbellford is a small town in Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada, in the municipality of Trent Hills.Located at , Campbellford lies approximately midway between Toronto and Ottawa. It is situated on both the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Trans Canada Trail. It can be reached from Highway...
, and was assisted in attaining higher education by an older brother, Father Michael McGuire, who was a Roman Catholic priest in the area. William “Billy” McGuire graduated from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1903 and studied law at Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada...
.
Career
He practiced as a lawyer first in Niagara FallsNiagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, and then in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. He was named to the Senate of Canada by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
on December 20, 1926 and served East York until his death on October 31, 1957, an impressive total of 30 years, 10 months and 12 days.
Senator McGuire was influential in the Irish-Canadian/Roman Catholic communities. He and Senator Frank Patrick O’Connor (Scarborough Junction) acquired a vacant church in the village of Wexford
Wexford, Toronto
Wexford is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the eastern part of the city, on the western end of the district of Scarborough, spanning Lawrence Avenue East between Victoria Park Avenue and Birchmount Road. There are many Greeks in this neighbourhood.The Church of St...
(Lawrence Avenue East, east of Victoria Park Avenue, now in the Scarborough area of Toronto) to found Precious Blood parish. Due to its once-vacant state, the original red brick church, even after its rejuvenation, was known for many years as "the pigeon church."
Senator McGuire also owned a farm with an English garden
English garden
The English garden, also called English landscape park , is a style of Landscape garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal, symmetrical Garden à la française of the 17th century as the principal gardening style of Europe. The...
named "Belmore" across Lawrence Avenue from the church and, although the area is now entirely urban and Wexford Collegiate Institute
Wexford Collegiate Institute
Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts, commonly known as Wexford Collegiate, or simply Wexford is a public secondary school constructed early in 1965 and is part of the Toronto District School Board....
occupies the site of his home, many of the mature trees in the area were planted by him.
Marriage and children
William Henry McGuire married Anna McNevin (1881–1954) in 1911 and had one daughter, Mary Aileen (1913–1959), who also became a lawyer. He was father-in-law to James WorrallJames Worrall
James "Jim" Worrall, was a Canadian lawyer, Olympic track and field athlete, and sports administrator.Born in Bury, Lancashire, England, Worrall emigrated to Montreal, Quebec in 1922. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from McGill University in 1935...
, lawyer, international track and field athlete, and International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
representative to Canada.