Version 6.01

03 January 2023

David March © 2014

CHRISTOPHER JAMES YORATH

Christopher James Yorath was born to William Yorath (1831-1899) and Sarah Hopkins (1850-1892) in Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales on 4 November 1879. He had six siblings, Gwendoline Mary Ann (1873-1957), Maud Mary (1876-1955), Richard (1878-1930), Gladys Gatling (1882-1962), Thomas (1884-1955) and Arthur Wesley (b 1887). Christopher also had seven half-siblings born to William’s first wife Elizabeth Lougher (1840-1970), Henry O (1858-1928), Annie Jane (1861-1941), William Lougher (1862-1924), Elizabeth Ann (1863-1931), Llewellyn (b 1865), Evan (1866-1890) and Alfred (1868-1888).

From 1895 to 1898, Christopher attended the University of Wales in Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales. The 1901 census of Cardiff finds Christopher living with several of his siblings (no parents) and his occupation given as Civil Engineer.

He worked for an engineering contractor in Cardiff until 1900 when he became Assistant to the Cardiff City Engineer. Later in 1908, he became Chief Assistant Engineer and Surveyor to the Acton Urban District Council. In 1912 he became Deputy Engineer to the Acton Borough Engineer. From 1908 to 1909 he also lectured at the Westminster Technical Institute in London.

Wikipedia

He was married in the 2nd quarter of 1904 to Emily Kestell who was born in Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales in 1880 to James Nance Kestell (1842-1907) and Catherine Joseph (1842-1922). Emily had eight siblings, Minnie (b 1866), Catherine (b 1867), Mary Ann (b 1870), William Joseph (1871 -1917), Elizabeth (1875 -1903), James Nance (1876 -1925), Charles Henry (1878 -1922) and Edward Arthur (1883 -1921).

Christopher and Emily had two children born in Acton, Middlesex England, Dennis Kestell (1905-1981) and Eric James (1910-1963). In 1911, the family were living at 9 Stuart Road, Acton.

On 1 May 1913, Christopher, Emily, Dennis and Eric arrived in New York from Southampton, England on board SS ‘Olympic’. The family was heading for Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where Christopher was to take on the position of Commissionaire of Saskatoon and city treasurer. They lived at 311 6th Ave N from at least 1916 to 1918. A daughter, Joyce, was born in Saskatoon in about 1916.

C J Yorath has been considered by many to be a visionary in city planning, but did not get along terribly well with A MacGillivray Young, the mayor of Saskatoon at that time.

There was considerable debate regarding the role and responsibilities of civic administrators versus civic politicians. Yorath defined his role as essentially a city manager, independent of city council; this attitude brought him into conflict with five-time mayor A. MacGillivray Young.                                  University of Regina

In 1921, C J Yorath resigned to become City Commissionaire for Edmonton, Alberta. From 1924 to 1926, he became President of both the Northwestern Utilities Limited (electrical and gas supplier to Edmonton) and the Canadian Western Natural Gas, Light, Heat & Power Co (supplier to Calgary and Lethbridge). In 1926 he moved to Nanaimo, British Columbia to become President and Managing Director of the Nanaimo Electric Light, Power and Heating Co. He died in Nanaimo in 1932. Both he and Emily who died in 1958 are buried in Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

Yorath Island, south of Saskatoon, and Yorath Avenue in the Avalon area of Saskatoon are both named after him.

Further reading about C J Yorath’s Town Planning Ideas - Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.

Dennis Kestell Yorath was hugely influential in organising the pilot training programme for RCAF during WWII. He was awarded MBE in 1946 in recognition of this work. See Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame.

This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Yorath Tree.

There is some question that this signature has been wrongly attributed to Christopher James Yorath, however we have been unable to trace anyone with the name C J Yoarth in Canada.