Archbishop William Lockridge Wright (1904 September 8 - 1990 January 19) was born in Roslin, Ontario. Archbishop Wright was the third generation of clergymen in his family; his father was a canon and grandfather a bishop respectively. He was educated at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario and ordained in 1927.
Following his ordination, served in Tweed, Hamilton, and Toronto. In 1940 he came to Sault Ste. Marie as rector of what was then St. Luke's Pro-Cathedral. A year later he was made Dean and in 1944 he was made Bishop of Algoma at the age of 39. In 1955 he was made an Archbishop and enthroned as Metropolitan of Ontario. He retired in 1974 at age 70.
Archbishop Wright strove to foster goodwill and brotherhood between people of diverse nationalities and faiths. His work with the World Council of Churches took him to Sweden, India, Nigeria, Ghana, Israel, Taiwan, and England. He advocated the union of the Anglican Church with the United Church and Disciples of Christ. In 1955 Archbishop Wright was made a Grand Master of the Masonic Order. In 1970 he was named "Man of the Year" by B'Nai B'rith and in 1980 he was made an Honourary Member of the Knights of Columbus.
Throughout all of his work, Archbishop Wright was supported by his wife, the former Margaret Clare who predeceased him in 1988.
Sources:
"Thirty-Year Episcopate of the Most Reverend William Wright a period of great advance for Algoma Diocese", The Algoma Anglican 37, no. 3 (1990): 3, 5, 8.
