Kenny Blatchford
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Kenneth Alexander (Kenny) Blatchford (Minnedosa 5 March 1882 - 23 April 1933 Edmonton), Canadian politician, was mayor of Edmonton, Alberta between 1905 and 1910.
K.A. Blatchford was born in Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada, son of Scottish-Canadians Peter and Margaret (née Murchison) Blatchford. He was educated at high school and commercial college, and was an expert wrestler and keen athlete in his youth. He arrived in Edmonton in the 1890s and earned his living by selling newspapers and periodicals, then operated the old Fraser grist mill during the Klondike Gold Rush, and later found a job with the Edmonton Power Plant.
An insurance broker in the 1920s by profession, he served as alderman of the city of Edmonton from 1922 to 1923, and then as mayor from 1924 to 1926. He successfully ran for Canadian federal government as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Edmonton East in the 1926 federal election. He was defeated in the 1930 election, and stepped out of politics until running for mayor in November 1932 when he was defeated by Daniel Kennedy Knott.
Blatchford suffered a nervous breakdown and took his own life, his body found in the North Saskatchewan River on 22 April 1933 after being missing for two days.
Blatchford was married to Grace Lauder Walker on 19 December 1904, and had two sons and one daughter. His one son, Howard "Cowboy" Peter Blatchford, was an air ace in World War II. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Canada.
[edit] Trivia
Blatchford Field, location of the Edmonton City Centre (Blatchford Field) Airport or ECCA, is named after Kenneth Blatchford.
Preceded by David Milwyn Duggan |
Mayor of Edmonton 1924-1926 |
Succeeded by Ambrose Upton Gladstanes Bury |