W.A. Dryden

William Arthur Dryden was born on May 29, 1881 at Maple Shade Farm in the township of Whitby, Ontario. As the third of four generations of Dryden’s that inhabited lot 20, concession 7, W.A. (or ‘Bill’ as he was known to his friends and neighbours) brought international distinction to Maple Shade Farm in the breeding of cattle and sheep. In addition to his work in cementing the legacy of Maple Shade, Dryden also maintained a professional career that saw him take on major roles in a number of organizations dedicated to the promotion and betterment of Canadian agriculture.

The land that would become known as Maple Shade Farm was settled by Bill’s grandfather James, an immigrant from England, in 1835. Bill’s father John Dryden expanded the farm to 420 acres and was responsible for turning Maple Shade into a respected operation in the breeding of pure-bred stock. John was also an influential politician, and was appointed the Ontario Minister of Agriculture after the election of 1890. In this role, John had an active hand in managing the affairs of the Ontario Agricultural College, the school his son would later attend. W.A. Dryden inherited this solid foundation when he took over management of the farm in 1903.

A graduate of the Ontario Agricultural College, W.A. Dryden was well-versed in the science of agriculture promoted by the institution. He would use the technical and practical education gained at the O.A.C. to expand his livestock breeding operations at Maple Shade Farm. In this way Dryden became one of Canada’s leading breeders of Shorthorn cattle and Shropshire sheep. These accomplishments earned Bill a number of important positions, including Chairman of the Canadian National Livestock Records, President of the Dominion Shorthorn Breeders’ Association, and President of the Dominion Sheep Breeders’ Association. He was also a frequent and respected livestock judge.

W.A. Dryden is perhaps best remembered today as the leading architect behind the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Founded in Toronto in 1922, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair remains to this day the world’s largest indoor fair, with a yearly attendance of 320,000 visitors. For this achievement, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Association nominated Dryden to be inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1963. William Arthur Dryden passed away at his home at Maple Shade Farm on November 18, 1949 at the age of 68. He is buried at Dryden Baptist Cemetery in Whitby, Ontario.