1874–1950
Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Plot L Section 46 Lot 21
Mount Pleasant Cemetery serves as the resting place of William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s longest-serving prime minister. Born in Kitchener, then called Berlin, Ont., King was the grandson of William Lyon Mackenzie, Toronto’s first mayor and leader of the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion. King’s upbringing was steeped in politics and ambition.
King excelled academically, earning degrees from the University of Toronto before pursuing graduate studies at Harvard and the University of Chicago. His early career included journalism and social reform advocacy, which led to his appointment as Deputy Minister of Labour under Sir Wilfrid Laurier. In 1908, he entered Parliament as the Liberal MP for Waterloo North and later became Minister of Labour.
After a brief setback in 1911, King returned to politics and, following Laurier’s death in 1919, became leader of the Liberal Party. His first term as prime minister began in 1921, ushering in an era of political resilience. Despite electoral defeats and crises, including the King-Byng Affair, he reclaimed power repeatedly, guiding Canada through the Great Depression and World War II. In total, King served over 21 years, a record unmatched in Canadian history.
King retired in 1948 and passed away on July 22, 1950. He now rests alongside his parents and relatives, including a namesake lost in World War II. His grave is a quiet tribute to a political juggernaut, a man whose pragmatic leadership shaped modern Canada.
Sources:
• Wikipedia – William Lyon Mackenzie King
• Mount Pleasant Cemetery (Toronto) – Wikipedia
• Library and Archives Canada – William Lyon Mackenzie King (Prime Ministers of Canada Collection)
• The Canadian Encyclopedia – William Lyon Mackenzie King
• Mount Pleasant Group - William Lyon Mackenzie King
Photos:
• Writing the book Industry and Humanity, Library and Archives Canada / C-003176, public domain
• Headshot - Yousuf Karsh (1908–2002), public domain
