Biography:

Dr. William “Giles” Collison was born in Mitchell, Ontario on the 18th of December, 1875.  Dr. Collison was the 6th of 7 children born to Thomas Collison and the former Elizabeth Balkwill.   His parents were innkeepers and his siblings were; Ellen “Maud” Collison, Emma Lavina Collison, Minnie Matilda Collison, Thomas Collison, John Collison and Annie Letitia Collison.

Dr. Collison graduated M.D.,C.M. from Trinity College in 1899.  He set up his medical practice in Morpeth.  By 1911 Dr. Collison was practicing medicine in Lindsay, Ontario and he resided at 20 Cambridge Street.

Dr. Collison married Williamina Alba Jane Chisholm on the 28th of September, 1910 in Toronto.  Mrs. Collison was born in Fergus, Ontario on the 9th of February, 1878.  She was the youngest of 3 children born to Dr. Thomas Chisholm and the former Margaret Gerrie.  At the time of Mrs. Collison’s birth her father’s occupation was listed as a teacher.  Dr. Thomas Chisholm graduated M.B. from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1879.  Further he graduated M.D. from Victoria University in 1881.  The Chisholm family relocated to Wingham, Ontario, where her father had a successful medical practice.  He was a member of Parliament for East Huron from 1904 until 1911.  Dr. Chilsholm was a lecturer at the University of Western Ontario and a published author.  He wrote a number of books and publications mainly focusing on Canadian history.  Mrs. Collison had 2 older brothers; James Howie Chisholm who was born in Belwood (Wellington County) on the 28th of July, 1867 and John Samuel Chisholm who was born in Wellington County on the 21st of December, 1870.

Dr. and Mrs. Collison had 3 children.  Their daughter Alba Jean Collison was born on the 26th of March, 1912.  She died at St John’s Hospital in Toronto on the 28th of December, 1930 of complications from tonsillitis.  Their son Giles Chisholm Collison was born on the 24th of July, 1917 in Lindsay.  (He died on the 4th of January, 2004).  Another son died in infancy.

Dr. Collison retired from the practice of medicine in 1951.

Dr. Collison died on the 30th of June, 1956 and Mrs. Collison died 1972.  Dr. and Mrs. Collison and their children are all buried in a family plot at the Riverside Cemetery in Lindsay.

*Mrs. Collison’s brother Dr. John Samuel Chisholm became a physician but he did not practice medicine in Chatham-Kent.