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Dr. Thomas H. Whitelaw, who
for fourteen years has been health officer of Edmonton, is well and
favorably known to the residents of this city, in which he has made his
home for twenty-four years, and he has therefore been a witness of
practically the entire growth and development of the municipality. He
was born at Guelph, Ontario, September 23, 1867, of the marriage of
William and Isabella (Henderson) WThitelaw, both of whom were natives of
Scotland, whence they emigrated to Canada. The father was an unusually
well informed man and in the public life of the province he took a
prominent part, serving as warden of Wellington county at the time the
Prince of Wales—the late King Edward—visited the Dominion. He was a
stanch Liberal in his political views and a leader in the ranks of his
party. He was a progressive agriculturist and a self- made man, whose
success was the merited reward of industry, perseverance and ability. He
was an earnest and consistent member of the Presbyterian church, with
which his wife was also affiliated. They became the parents of nine
children, all of whom reside in the province of Ontario except the
subject of this review, who was the eighth in order of birth. The
paternal grandfather was George Whitelaw.
After completing the
curriculum of the public schools Thomas H. Whitelaw attended the
Collegiate Institute at Guelph, Ontario, and afterward became a student
at the University of Toronto, from which he received the Bachelor of
Arts degree in 1890, while four years later that educational institution
conferred upon him the degree of Bachelor of Medicine. lie began his
professional career at Guelph and remained in that vicinity until 1898,
when he came to this Province, opening an office in Edmonton, where for
ten years he engaged in the general practice of medicine, winning a
large clientele. In 1908 his ability led to his selection for the
position of health officer, of which he is now the incumbent, and his
long retention therein is indisputable proof of his efficiency and the
quality of service which he is rendering the city. He is thoroughly
cognizant of the grave responsibilities which devolve upon him in this
connection and takes every precaution to safeguard the health of
Edmonton's citizens.
On the 6th of January,
1900, Dr. Whitelaw was married to Miss Mary Laidlaw, a native of Toronto
and a daughter of George Laidlaw, a citizen of Toronto since its early
days, when it was known as "Muddy York." Dr. and Mrs. Whitelaw have a
son, Alexander Whitelaw, now twenty-one years of age. He is a graduate
of the Edmonton high school, after which he attended the University of
Alberta for a year. and he is now pursuing a course in forestry at the
University of Toronto, being in his junior year. Dr. Whitelaw is a
member of the Presbyterian church and his political support is given to
the Liberal party. His professional relations are with the Alberta and
Canadian Medical Associations and he is also a member of the Canadian
and American Public Health Associations, lie is a self-educated man and
the strength of character which he displayed in securing his medical
training has been manifested throughout his career, bringing him to a
most desirable position in his profession, of which he is an able
exponent. |
