William Ernest Hamilton

Who was William Ernest Hamilton?

William Ernest Hamilton was an Ontario political figure. He represented Wellington South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Progressive Conservative member from 1945 to 1955.

He was born in Guelph, Ontario and studied at Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute and the Ontario Agricultural College. Hamilton began work at a bank and then worked as a salesman at a soap company before taking over the operation of his father's Sun Life Insurance agency. He married Jean Irene Clark in 1928. He served as president of the local YMCA from 1929 to 1930. Hamilton also served as president of the Guelph Board of Trade. He was a member of the board of directors for the Homewood Sanitarium and served as its president. He was also mayor of Guelph from 1961 to 1962.

Hamilton served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Reform Institutions from 1949 to 1950 and Minster without Portfolio from 1950 to 1956. He was vice-chairman of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario.

He died at his home in Guelph in 1985.