William Douglas (1904-1963)

Businessman, politician.

Born in Kelso, Scotland he came to Winnipeg in 1904. He was associated with the W. J. Guest Fish Company for many years, and subsequently operated his own general insurance agency. He was instrumental in the formation of Brewery Products Ltd., in 1936, and was Controller of the company until his retirement in 1950. He served as an Alderman of the City of Winnipeg from 1921 to 1922, and was a founder member of First Presbyterian Church. He was a President of the Manitoba Historical Society, and had received the Margaret McWilliams Medal for literary accomplishment in Canadiana. He was a member and Past Master of St. John’s Masonic Lodge, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba in 1929, and had been Grand Historian since 1939. He was the author of Freemasonry in Manitoba, 1864 to 1925, a history book on the Masonic Order in the province. Mr. Douglas was also a member of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, the Supreme Council of Scottish Rite, the Royal Order of Scotland, Khartum Temple of the Shrine, and had received his 50-year Jewel from St. John’s Lodge in 1954. William Douglas died on 11 December 1963 at the age of 85 years, and was interred in Kildonan Cemetery.

His articles for the Manitoba Historical Society:

"The Forks" Becomes a City
MHS Transactions, Series 3, 1944-45 Season

New Light on the Old Forts of Winnipeg
MHS Transactions, Series 3, 1954-55 Season

Winnipeg Parks
MHS Transactions, Series 3, Number 14, 1957-58 Season

The Story of Our Buffalo
Manitoba Pageant, Volume 8, Number 3, September 1962

Profile revised: 26 December 2009

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