William Darley Pollard, the leading barrister at Meaford, is a native of Manchester, England, dating his birth January 26, 1827. His parents were William and Jane (Blair) Pollard, his mother being a descendant of the Macdonalds of Glencoe, Scotland. Our subject received a good English and classical education, including Hebrew, as well as Latin and Greek; studied law in his native city; became an Attorney and Solicitor, and Master Extraordinary in Chancery, and before leaving the Old World was for years in the King’s Bench Walk, Temple, London.
In the winter of 1855-56 Mr. Pollard came to Canada West; and being the patentee of the Shale Oil Works, in the Township of Collingwood, he spent three years operating there. Meantime, on arriving in this country, he had been admitted to practice his profession, and was for awhile of the firm of Moberly and Pollard, then of the firm of Pollard and Gamon, Collingwood.
In 1862 Mr. Pollard removed to his present home; was called to the Bar a few years ago, and is a prominent barrister in this part of Ontario, having a practice in the several Courts, second to that of no other barrister in the County of Grey. He is of the firm of Pollard and Evans, his partner being Robert T. Evans. They have a highly remunerative practice.
In 1875, when Meaford became an incorporated town, Mr. Pollard was elected Mayor, and again also in 1877. Could the people have their way, he would no doubt have been Chief Magistrate of the town still longer, but his professional labors are too pressing to make it consistent with his duties as a barrister, to serve longer.
In politics he is a Conservative; in religion, a Churchman; and he is a Master Mason.
The year after coming to Canada, Mr. Pollard joined the volunteer militia. On settling in Meaford, he organized a company, and has held various commissions from Lieutenant upward He was Acting Major of a Provincial battalion during the Fenian raids, being stationed at Sarnia three or four months, and was gazetted Lieutenant-Colonel on returning from that raid in 1866. In 1872 he had commmand of a brigade at Niagara, the occasion being the assembly of a large camp. He still holds the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
Colonel Pollard, as he is called through all this district, and wherever known, has a third wife. The first was Mary Smith, niece of Judge Strang, of the Bench of the United States, and granddaughter of Hon. Adam Farrie, of Hamilton. She died, leaving three children. The second wife was Jane Freeland Taylor, daughter of William D. Taylor, of Toronto, she leaving no issue. His present wife is Rose, daughter of Peter Fuller, of Meaford. She has had seven children, five of them still living.