William G. “Billy” Weichel

On July 20, 1870, William G. “Billy” Weichel was born in Elmira where his father operated a hardware store. After his education at the Elmira Public School and the Berlin High School, Weichel became a clerk in his father’s store from 1883-1890. He then began work as a salesman for the Galt (Cambridge) saw manufacturers, Shurly-Dietrich. In 1896 along with his father and brothers, he opened a hardware store in Waterloo called “M. Weichel and Sons Hardware” and became the manager. He later assumed ownership of the business and renamed it “Weichel Hardware”.

Weichel enjoyed recreational activities including fishing, hunting, curling and bowling being a member of the Waterloo Lawn Bowling Club. He was a member of First United Church and the Grand River Masonic Lodge. His prominence in politics led him to hold leadership positions with many companies and organizations such as the Merchants Casualty Insurance Company, the Waterloo Mutual Fire Insurance Company, the Waterloo Board of Trade, the Lancaster Club, the Waterloo Club and the Waterloo County Canadian Club.

His extensive political career began in 1908 when he was elected a town alderman, a position he held until 1911 when he became deputy reeve. That year he left municipal politics and defeated William Lyon Mackenzie King, then Minister of Labour in the Laurier government, to become the Conservative Party’s Member of Parliament for North Waterloo. Running under the Unionist platform, he was defeated in the 1917 election.

In 1922-1923 Weichel returned to local politics when he was elected mayor of the town. In this position he sought to revive the activities of the Waterloo Board of Trade, to create employment opportunities for the unemployed and to regulate the town’s motor traffic. In 1923 his interests turned to the provincial political arena and Weichel was elected the Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament for the Waterloo riding. He was re-elected in 1926 but defeated three years later. Weichel retired from politics in 1934 after losing the provincial election.

Photograph and biography courtesy of Heritage Resources, City of Waterloo.