(23 May 1875-13 May 1947), physician, political figure. (Dr W. B. MacDiarmid, Dr William MacDiarmid, Dr William B. MacDiarmid, Dr Will MacDiarmid, Dr Willie or Willy MacDiarmid) (date of birth 1874 also found) Born at Athol, Ont. Parents: Dr Donald MacDiarmid and his first wife Agnes Burton. W. B. MacDiarmid attended public schools in Athol and Cornwall, and high school in Alexandria and Cornwall. (He is mentioned as one of “ex-pupils” who were pallbearers at the funeral in 1939 of Donald MacKay of the Alexandria High School, Glengarry News 12 May 1939.) As a young man he taught school at Greenfield and Dominionville for a few years. In 1900, he received his medical degree from McGill University. He began his medical practice in Maxville, where his father was an established practitioner. His own medical practice, extending over more than four decades, was wholly in Maxville and Maxville area. He also served as health officer for Maxville and for Roxborough Township. His house was burned in the major Maxville fire of 1921. (GN 13 May 1921) He was known as a genial man skilled in telling good stories. An athlete himself in his early years, he was later associated as a patron with the Maxville Millionaires (hockey) and the Glengarry Football League. (GN 12 May 1939)

     In a vigorous struggle in the Liberal nominating convention in Alexandria on 17 Feb. 1940, Dr MacDiarmid secured the federal Liberal nomination for GC, defeating, with much difficulty, Dr W. L. McDougald the former Senator. (Standard Freeholder 19 Feb. 1940, Glengarry News 23 Feb. 1940) Another contender for the Liberal nomination at this meeting was Louis Titley of Glen Robertson, a teacher at the University of Ottawa high school. Like his fellow candidate McDougald, Titley declared himself to be opposed to conscription. Louis Titley was living in Ottawa in 1991. Still another contender for the Liberal nomination at this meeting was John D. MacRae, the incumbent MP. Dr MacDiarmid was elected Liberal MP for GC in the following general election of 26 March 1940, being at this time a little under 65 years old (based on 1875 date of birth). In this election, he was opposed by J. W. MacRae, the National Government candidate (not the same person as John D. MacRae the former MP). In 1945 Dr MacDiarmid secured the Liberal renomination as candidate for the GC seat, though by a razor-thin majority, being almost defeated by Donald A. Macdonald, Q. C., of the Sandfield family. (Horace Marjerrison was also a contender for the nomination, but secured relatively little support.) (Glengarry News 4 May 1945) Dr MacDiarmid mentioned in a printed election address of 1945 that “Glengarry is an agricultural constituency…”

     In the general election of 11 June 1945, the 70-year old Dr MacDiarmid was re-elected as the MP for GC. His Conservative opponent in this contest was Lionel Devaux. Soon, however, Dr MacDiarmid resigned the GC seat to make it available for Prime Minister Mackenzie King, who had been defeated in the West, and who was now elected MP for GC in the federal by-election of 6 Aug. 1945. According to a family belief passed on by Dr MacDiarmid’s nephew Don McOuat, the archivist of Ontario, he was supposed to have been made a senator for his service to the prime minister, but in fact received no reward. It is hardly credible that any such promise was ever made with regard to compensating Dr MacDiarmid, or that he would have expected any such thing. However, for the context of the senatorship notion, see the entries for Donald A. Macdonald, Q. C. and J. A. C. Huot.

     Since King, all the GC MPs have been French Canadians, so Dr MacDiarmid may be said to have been the last or next-to-last representative of the long tradition of Highland Scottish MPs in GC. Dr MacDiarmid spoke little in the House of Commons. In 1941 he spoke at the Orange Walk at McCrimmon, as indeed did his Roman Catholic colleague Eddie MacGillivray the MLA. (Standard Freeholder 14 July 1941)

     Dr MacDiarmid died at his home in Maxville less than two years after his resignation. Presbyterian. Mason. He was married on 28 Sept. 1911 to Eva Smillie, the daughter of A. I. Smillie. (two children) A son, Donald Alexander MacDiarmid, died of a heart condition in 1941, aged 24. (obituary Standard Freeholder 24 Jan. 1941) Prime Minister Mackenzie King and James G. Gardiner attended Dr MacDiarmid’s funeral in Maxville.

Glengarry News 16 & 23 May 1947 (interesting long list of names of people of significance at the well attended funeral) * Johnson (1968) 394 * Harkness 330-331 (with portrait), 334 * MacGillivray & Ross 540-542, 694 * Maxville (1991) 286-288, 305, 313, 620-623 (with portrait), 735 * private knowledge, discussion with Don McOuat * text of his speech in Parliament, VKHR 5 Dec. 1940 * Christmas greetings as MP, and election address, GN 19 Dec. 1941, 8 June 1945, both with personal touches * injured in car accident, GN 5 Sept. 1941 * Eddie MacGillivray, MLA, visits Dr MacDiarmid in Maxville, finds him “looking well following his lengthy indisposition. Dr. MacDiarmid expects to attend the Parliamentary Session opening next week.”, GN 16 Jan. 1942 * son John William (Bill): wounded in WWII, GN 30 June 1944; returns to live in Maxville, Winter GN 15 April 1998; dies, GN 12 May 1999 (two notices) * Louis Titley: portrait, GN 3 Sept. 1937; information from University of Ottawa Archives * see also life of Lionel Chevrier