William Donald Ross
Encyclopedia
The William Donald Ross (June 20, 1869 - June 25, 1947), was a financier, banker and the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
.
Born in 1869 in Bras d'Or, Nova Scotia
, William Donald Ross went to work for the Bank of Nova Scotia emptying wastebaskets at the age of 14. The family farm had failed and Ross left school in order to help make ends meet. He rose through the ranks and ultimately became one of the bank's directors. He later served as general manager of the Metropolitan Bank of Toronto and moved to Toronto
with his wife and children. In his new city, Ross helped find the funds to found Branksome Hall
, a new private school
for girls, operated by his cousin.
A supporter of and fundraiser for the Liberal Party of Canada
, Ross was appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
by Governor General
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
, on the advice of William Lyon Mackenzie King
, in 1926. He asked to be relieved from office in 1931 due to the onset of the Great Depression
as his income from private investments declined and he was no longer sufficient to supplement the $10,000 annual salary he received in his vice-regal role.
He died in Toronto
in 1947.
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
.
Born in 1869 in Bras d'Or, Nova Scotia
Bras d'Or, Nova Scotia
Bras d'Or is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-References:*...
, William Donald Ross went to work for the Bank of Nova Scotia emptying wastebaskets at the age of 14. The family farm had failed and Ross left school in order to help make ends meet. He rose through the ranks and ultimately became one of the bank's directors. He later served as general manager of the Metropolitan Bank of Toronto and moved to 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...
with his wife and children. In his new city, Ross helped find the funds to found Branksome Hall
Branksome Hall
Branksome Hall is an independent girls' school for day and boarding students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. Founded in 1903, the school is located on a 13-acre campus in in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Campus buildings include several heritage structures and some modern buildings, all linked by...
, a new private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
for girls, operated by his cousin.
A supporter of and fundraiser for 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...
, Ross was appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
by Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
Major Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon was a British Liberal politician and administrator who served as Governor General of Canada, the 13th since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, the country's 22nd.Freeman-Thomas was born in England and...
, on the advice of 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...
, in 1926. He asked to be relieved from office in 1931 due to the onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
as his income from private investments declined and he was no longer sufficient to supplement the $10,000 annual salary he received in his vice-regal role.
He died 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...
in 1947.