Fonds F 175 - Wilfrid S. Dinnick family fonds

Wilfrid Servington Dinnick (d. 1923), and other family members, came to Ontario in the late nineteenth century, where he was businessman in Toronto and an organizer of the 109th Regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces, and other W.W.I efforts.

Dinnick was born in England, where he eventually retired about 1921 and died in London August 16, 1923. During his residence in Canada, Dinnick was involved in a wide variety of commercial enterprises, principally in Toronto, involving loan companies, real estate development, country clubs, hotels, automobiles and warehousing. He originated the idea of backyard garden development in Toronto and was involved in the creation of the Lawrence Park estates and many other suburban developments.

On December 21, 1914, Dinnick formed the 109th Regiment, and later had a continuing interest in its organization and activities as well as in various other war efforts.
He also involved in many social clubs around Toronto, including the National Club, the Albany Club, the Toronto Swimming Club, and was President of the Lawrence Park Bowling Club.

Dinnick wrote several articles intended for, or published in the newspaper of the time, as well as a booklet entitled "Tremendous Toronto," which promoted the real estate investment possibilities of the city.

W.S. Dinnick's sister, Annie S. Dinnick came to Canada about 1890 and lived in Toronto. A brother, Rev. Samuel Dunn Dinnick, was a Methodist Clergyman who applied as Chaplain to the 116th Battalion. Another brother, Dr. Oswald Tilson Dinnick, studied medicine at the University of Toronto, fought in Belgium in W.W.I and was wounded, and was afterward on the staff of the Royal Free Hospital as an outpatient surgeon. Another brother, Augustus George Cuthbert Dinnick, was a businessman who came to Canada in 1890. He sometimes worked with his brother in rounding up British investors for Canadian investments.