The Journey - Glimpses of the Past with Karen Webster

While the physical distance between Hullett Township in Huron County and the Royal City of Guelph is not far, the academic and professional path of Wilfred Fowler encompassed a great number of milestone markers and took him on an amazing life journey.

 

Wilfred James Richard Fowler, later known as Dr. W.J.R. Fowler in academic circles, was born to parents John Hall Fowler and Elizabeth Runciman VanEgmond on May 23 of 1878, not far from Seaforth. His siblings were Howard, Frederick, Matilda and Foster. 

 

Wilfred attended SS#1 Hullett School where he was a proficient student and, by the summer of 1897, when he was 19 years of age, he was studying under the guidance of Dr. Gibb, the veterinarian in Seaforth. That fall he began his training at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in Toronto. 

 

Upon his graduation in 1899 with high honours (obtaining the highest standing in his examinations that had been obtained by any graduate up to that time), he went into practice with his former mentor, Dr. Gibb. By 1901, he had purchased the practice on Main Street South and was touted by the local newspaper as, “a clever young man, well up in his profession, (it is) a pleasure to welcome him as a resident and professional man of Seaforth”.  

 

Academia was calling him, thus he sold the practice to Dr. Harburn the following year and he and his wife Minnie (née Izzard) headed to Toronto.  Wilfred became a member of the faculty at his alma mater as a demonstrator of anatomy under Dr. Duncan. When Dr. Duncan retired, Wilfred became a lecturer in anatomy and also established a private veterinarian practice in Toronto. Wilfred was the head of the Departments of Anatomy and Surgery until 1913 when he turned all his attention to his private practice until 1918 at which time he rejoined the faculty of the Veterinary College. 

 

The OVC relocated to Guelph in 1922 to be more involved in the agricultural community and to be close to the Ontario Agricultural School. Wilfred disposed of his private practice in Toronto and moved to Guelph, where he spent the rest of his years.

 

In the Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine it was written that, “… his capacity as a teacher was unusual. He knew his subjects thoroughly and had the ability to impart what otherwise might be dry information in a form that was lucid and interesting.”

 

Dr. Fowler was most widely known as a surgeon. He knew his anatomy and was exceedingly dexterous. He was quick and sure in his operations to the extent that students watching him were unable to follow his swift movements. 

 

He had an excellent reputation concerning operations on horses and was sought after in Canada as well in the United States and Europe. In fact, he made many trips overseas to perform operations in Great Britain and France. One time, a horse owner in England summoned Wilfred to operate on his valued steed. When Wilfred was unable to make the trip, the owner had the animal shipped to Guelph for the operation to take place there.

 

In 1935, the French government appointed Dr. Fowler with the Chevalier Du Merit Agricole de France in recognition of his great skills as a horse surgeon.

 

Not all of Wilfred Fowler’s accomplishments were in the academic field. He was a great lover of horses and was an accomplished judge of and breeder of Hackney horses as well as Shetland ponies. In fact, he was the president of the Canadian Hackney Association from 1921 until 1925. He continued to keep ponies of his own until 1935.

 

Wilfred officiated at the first Royal Winter Fair in 1922 and at several other Royals in the 1920s. He was the Honorary Veterinarian for the Royal Winter Fair until his death.

 

In addition to the Royal Winter Fair, Dr. Fowler was instrumental in the prominence of the horse show at the Ontario Provincial Winter Fair which was permanently situated in Guelph beginning in 1889.

 

Wilfred served as the president of the Ontario Veterinary Association from 1913-1916. At the time of his death in 1955, he was still lecturing at the Ontario Veterinary College, an amazing 55 years of tenure. 

 

While Wilfred Fowler was a clever academic, an intuitive instructor and a masterful surgeon in the equine field, he was remembered by his colleagues as a genial man who enjoyed the company of others. He was noted as an interesting conversationalist and a sociable and delightful guest. In addition to all his work at the college and with horse associations, he was also the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guelph General Hospital for a number of years.

 

Wilfred James Richard Fowler’s earthly journey ended on Feb. 13, 1955 in Guelph after an amazing career that took him to Toronto, Guelph, all throughout Canada and on to the United States and Europe. He mentored veterinary students for over 50 years, thus leaving a career of excellence for them to follow. Left to mourn his passing were his wife, Minnie and a daughter, Wilfreda Fowler Jackson. He was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery.

 

After his passing, his daughter instituted the W.J.R. Fowler Scholarship for undergraduates to recognize a student’s exceptional interest in equine diseases and related research. (In 2025, this scholarship is worth $3,500.) Thus, Wilfred Fowler’s legacy lives on.