William McKinnell
Encyclopedia
William Clarke McKinnell (September 29, 1873 – October 27, 1939) was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1920 to 1936.
McKinnell was born in Northampton
, England
, the eldest son in a family of 10 children. He was educated at Bedford Modern School
from 1887 until 1889. He registered with the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain as an apprentice to his father, William, a Northampton chemist, but abandoned this pursuit to go to Canada. By 1894 he was homesteading in Melita, Manitoba
but later moved to Teulon, Manitoba
where he opened the town's first store, McKinnell and Wood General Store. He served as chair of the school board in Teulon, Manitoba
from 1907 to 1921, and was appointed as chair of the Winnipeg Suburban Municipal Board in 1925.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1920 provincial election
. Running as a Farmer candidate, he defeated Liberal
incumbent Arthur J. Lobb by a single vote (978 to 977) in the Rockwood constituency. McKinnell served with the Independent-Farmer caucus in the parliament which followed.
He ran for re-election in the 1922 election
as a candidate of the United Farmers of Manitoba (UFM), and was easily returned over candidates of the Liberal and Conservative
parties. The UFM unexpectedly won a majority of seats in this election, and formed government as the Progressive Party
. McKinnell served as a backbench supporter of John Bracken
's government.
McKinnell was easily re-elected in the campaigns of 1927
and 1932
. He was defeated in the 1936 election
, losing to Conservative Mungo Lewis
by 383 votes.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, 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 in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1920 to 1936.
McKinnell was born in Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the eldest son in a family of 10 children. He was educated at Bedford Modern School
Bedford Modern School
Bedford Modern School is a British co-educational independent school in the Harpur area of Bedford, in the county of Bedfordshire, in England.Bedford Modern comprises a junior school and a senior school...
from 1887 until 1889. He registered with the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain as an apprentice to his father, William, a Northampton chemist, but abandoned this pursuit to go to Canada. By 1894 he was homesteading in Melita, Manitoba
Melita, Manitoba
Melita is a town located in the southwestern corner of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Arthur and occupies a bend of the Souris River. The population, as of the 2006 census, is 1,051. It sits at the junction of Highways 3 and 83, approx....
but later moved to Teulon, Manitoba
Teulon, Manitoba
Teulon is a community located approximately 60 kilometers north of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on Provincial Truck Highway 7. Located between Stonewall and Gimli, Teulon is commonly referred to as "The Gateway to the Interlake" and "The Petunia Capital of Manitoba"...
where he opened the town's first store, McKinnell and Wood General Store. He served as chair of the school board in Teulon, Manitoba
Teulon, Manitoba
Teulon is a community located approximately 60 kilometers north of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on Provincial Truck Highway 7. Located between Stonewall and Gimli, Teulon is commonly referred to as "The Gateway to the Interlake" and "The Petunia Capital of Manitoba"...
from 1907 to 1921, and was appointed as chair of the Winnipeg Suburban Municipal Board in 1925.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1920 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1920
Manitoba's general election of 29 June 1920 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.-Background:...
. Running as a Farmer candidate, he defeated Liberal
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
incumbent Arthur J. Lobb by a single vote (978 to 977) in the Rockwood constituency. McKinnell served with the Independent-Farmer caucus in the parliament which followed.
He ran for re-election in the 1922 election
Manitoba general election, 1922
Manitoba's general election of July 18, 1922 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.As in the previous election of 1920, the city of Winnipeg elected ten members by the single transferable ballot...
as a candidate of the United Farmers of Manitoba (UFM), and was easily returned over candidates of the Liberal and Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
parties. The UFM unexpectedly won a majority of seats in this election, and formed government as the Progressive Party
Progressive Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party that developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba, an agrarian movement that became politically active following World War I...
. McKinnell served as a backbench supporter of John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
's government.
McKinnell was easily re-elected in the campaigns of 1927
Manitoba general election, 1927
Manitoba's general election of 28 June 1927 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the first election in Manitoba history to elect members through a single transferable ballot in all constituencies...
and 1932
Manitoba general election, 1932
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1932 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the second election in Manitoba where the single transferable ballot was used in all electoral divisions...
. He was defeated in the 1936 election
Manitoba general election, 1936
Manitoba's general election of July 27, 1936 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The was the second election in Manitoba after the formation of a Liberal-Progressive alliance in 1932...
, losing to Conservative Mungo Lewis
Mungo Lewis
Mungo Turnbull Lewis was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1936 to 1945.-Early life and career:...
by 383 votes.