William Roche (February 11, 1842 – October 19, 1925) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

politician and merchant. Born in

Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...

, he was the son of William Roche and Susan Manning and was educated at the

Halifax Academy The Halifax Academy (formerly Halifax High) is a mixed all-through school located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. The school is predominantly made up of children from a South Asian background. History The school's name derives from the ...

and the Free Church Academy. Roche married Clara MacLean of Pictou. He served as an alderman for Halifax from 1849 to 1850. Roche was Vice-President of the Union Bank of Canada and President of the Halifax Fire Insurance Company. Roche served as a member of the

Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia The Nova Scotia House of Assembly (french: Assemblée législative de la Nouvelle-Écosse; gd, Taigh Seanaidh Alba Nuadh), or Legislative Assembly, is the deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia of the province of Nova Scotia ...

from 1886 to 1897. From 1896 to 1897, he was a Minister Without Portfolio and Member of the Executive Council. He was elected to the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

for the electoral district of Halifax in the 1900 federal election. A

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

, he was re-elected in 1904 and was defeated in 1908. He was summoned to the

Senate of Canada The Senate of Canada (french: region=CA, Sénat du Canada) is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the House of Commons, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The Senate is modelled after the B ...

on the advice of

Wilfrid Laurier Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier, ( ; ; November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was a Canadian lawyer, statesman, and politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. The first French Canadian prime minis ...

representing the senatorial division of Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1910. He served until his death in 1925. His uncle

Charles Roche Charles Roche (1798 – January 2, 1878) was a dry goods merchant and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Shelburne township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1830 to 1836. He was born in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, the son o ...

served in the Nova Scotia assembly.

Electoral results

References

1842 births 1925 deaths Canadian senators from Nova Scotia Liberal Party of Canada MPs Liberal Party of Canada senators Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Liberal Party MLAs {{NovaScotia-politician-stub