Lawyer, veteran.
Born at Bridgetown, Barbados on 1 November 1883, son of Sir William Chandler, he studied law at Trinity Hall, Cambridge where he joined the well-known Leander Rowing Club. After being called to the bar at Grey’s Inn, he came to Winnipeg joining the law firm of Cameron and Phillips. He later went into partnership in the firm of Young, Chandler and Paterson. He remained at this firm until joining the military in January 1915.
He went overseas in May 1915 and was made officer commanding of the 43rd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders of Canada, in August 1918. He received the Distinguished Service Order and the French Croix de Guerre. After demobilization, he became a legal adviser for the Soldier Settlement Board (Department of Veterans Affairs) in Winnipeg. In 1939, he was transferred to the head office in Ottawa, Ontario. He returned to Winnipeg in May 1940, taking up residence at 568 Wardlaw Street. He retired in June 1947.
On 25 January 1915, he married Eileen Shannon Denison (1887-1964, daughter of Edwin Oliver Denison) of Minnedosa and they had one daugher, Eileen Sybil Chandler (1915-2005, wife of Clifford Parnell Wilson). He was a member of the Winnipeg Little Theatre and Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club (President, 1919-1920).
He died at the Winnipeg General Hospital on 28 August 1948 and was buried in the St. John’s Cathedral Cemetery.
Attestation papers, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.
Marriage registration [William Kellman Chandler, Elieen Shannon Denison], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Death registration [William Kellman Chandler], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Col. W. K. Chandler of Camerons, dies,” Winnipeg Tribune, 30 August 1948. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B10, page 43]
Obituary [Eileen Sybil Wilson], The Globe and Mail, 17 February 2005.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
We thank Kathleen Wilson Gay and J. Stuart McLean for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Sarah Ramsden and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 17 August 2023
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