Volume III - ElectricCanadian.com

436WILLIAM GIRDLE-STONE, Winnipeg, Man., wasborn in 1839, at Thornhill, Ont. Hisfather was the late George WilliamGirdlestone, barrister, formerly of Kelling,Norfolk, Eng., and son of theRev. William Ewin Girdlestone, rectorof that place, many of whose familyoccupied very prominent positions asprofessional men. The subject of thissketch was educated at the London,Ont., Grammar school. Rev. B. Baley,principal. After leaving school, he removed,in 1864, to Windsor, Ont.,where he was engaged chiefly in theforwarding business. While residingthere, he married, in 1866,Louisa R., the seconddaughter of the late WilliamBaby, Sheriff of Essex Co.,Ont. His family consistsof six sons and one daughter.At Windsor, Mr. Girdlestonehad his share ofmunicipal and other honors,having been chairman ofthe Board of Public Works,president of the Board ofTrade, and for five yearspresident of the WindsorCricket Club, etc. In 1879,he removed to Winnipeg.He was a promoter and oneof the directors of the WinnipegGas Co., and a directorof the Winnipeg WaterWorks Co., but sold out hisinterest in both at a favorabletime. He organizedand successfully managedthe Canadian Pacific RailwayExpress Co., also organizedthe North-WestFire Insurance Co., the leadinglocal fire insurance companyof Manitoba, of whichhe is the managing-director.The firm of G. W. Girdlestone& Sons are agents for Lloyds, ofLondon, England, and for a number ofwell known and much esteemed BritishFire Insurance offices, and at thepresent time control the largest fire insurancebusiuess west of Montreal, coveringa territory from Fort William toBritish Columbia, a distance of morethan two thousand miles. Mr. Girdlestonehas been, for several years, a delegatefrom Christ Church to the EnglishChurch Synod, and a member ofthe Executive Committee. His eldestson is a medical graduate of McGill University,Montreal, and isCalifornia.practicing in