George Skelding
Encyclopedia
George Skelding was a provincial politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1917 to 1921 sitting with the Liberal caucus in government.
in 1864. He came west with the Royal North-West Mounted Police in 1886 and helped establish the police barracks in Lethbridge
. He moved to Fort Macleod in 1887 and started working as a ranch hand at the Strong Ranch and later the Cochrane Ranch.
After a brief career at ranching Skelding became a coal dealer within a couple years and continued with that business the rest of his life. He was also involved with the grocery business becoming one half of the partnership of Baker and Skelding Co. until it was sold off.
He married his wife Annie Renwick in September of 1904 and had no children.
in the 1917 Alberta general election
. He defeated Conservative incumbent Robert Patterson in a hotly contested race winning the Macleod district by just 50 votes to pick it up for his party.
Skelding was a poor orator and did not speak very often on the floor of the Legislature. He lobbied the Liberal government for road improvements in the Macleod district and did most of his work as an MLA in legislature committee's.
Skelding ran for a second term in the 1921 Alberta general election
but was defeated by United Farmers
candidate William Shield.
Skelding became very ill towards the end of his life. He required some surgeries and eventually became confined to his house as his health worsened and then was bed ridden for the last month before he died on July 18, 1927. He was buried the next day in the Macleod Union Cemetery at Fort Macleod
. His funeral was widely attended by members of the former Liberal government and other prominent people from across Alberta.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, 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...
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
from 1917 to 1921 sitting with the Liberal caucus in government.
Early life
George Skelding was born in Belmont, OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in 1864. He came west with the Royal North-West Mounted Police in 1886 and helped establish the police barracks in Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
. He moved to Fort Macleod in 1887 and started working as a ranch hand at the Strong Ranch and later the Cochrane Ranch.
After a brief career at ranching Skelding became a coal dealer within a couple years and continued with that business the rest of his life. He was also involved with the grocery business becoming one half of the partnership of Baker and Skelding Co. until it was sold off.
He married his wife Annie Renwick in September of 1904 and had no children.
Political career
Skelding ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as a candidate for the Alberta LiberalsAlberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
in the 1917 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1917
The Alberta general election of 1917 was the fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, held on 7 June 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He defeated Conservative incumbent Robert Patterson in a hotly contested race winning the Macleod district by just 50 votes to pick it up for his party.
Skelding was a poor orator and did not speak very often on the floor of the Legislature. He lobbied the Liberal government for road improvements in the Macleod district and did most of his work as an MLA in legislature committee's.
Skelding ran for a second term in the 1921 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1921
The Alberta general election of 1921 was the fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on July 18, 1921 to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly....
but was defeated by United Farmers
United Farmers of Alberta
The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary...
candidate William Shield.
Late life
After being defeated from public office. Skelding expanded his business to include a lumber yard along with a chopping mill and a farm services business for seed grain cleaning.Skelding became very ill towards the end of his life. He required some surgeries and eventually became confined to his house as his health worsened and then was bed ridden for the last month before he died on July 18, 1927. He was buried the next day in the Macleod Union Cemetery at Fort Macleod
Fort Macleod, Alberta
Fort Macleod is a town in the southwest corner of the province of Alberta, Canada. It was founded as a North-West Mounted Police barracks, and is named in honour of the North-West Mounted Police Colonel James Macleod. The town's current mayor is Shawn Patience.- History and heritage preservation...
. His funeral was widely attended by members of the former Liberal government and other prominent people from across Alberta.