Researching William Leach

Born in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England, the son of Robert Leach and Elizabeth Turnbull, Leach was educated in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Stirling, and received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Edinburgh. He was licensed a minister of the Church of Scotland and emigrated to Upper Canada in the 1830s. Rejecting the Church of Scotland, he was ordained in the Church of England in 1843 and was the first incumbent of Montreal's St George's Church. In 1854, he was appointed a canon of Christ Church Cathedral. In 1865 he was named domestic chaplain to the bishop and an archdeacon.

From 1846 to 1853, he started teaching at McGill College (later McGill University) as a professor of classical literature and lecturer in mathematics and natural philosophy. From 1853 to 1872, he was a lecturer in logic, rhetoric, and moral philosophy. From 1872 to 1883, he was the Molson professor of English language and literature. From 1846 to 1886, he was a fellow and vice-principal. from 1853 to 1886, he was the dean of the Faculty of Arts.

He was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bradford Central at the 1922 general election, having unsuccessfully contested the seat in 1918. He was re-elected in 1923, and served as Under-Secretary of State for Air in the First Labour Government.

Leach lost the seat at the 1924 general election to his Conservative party opponent. His share of the vote had increased, but the absence for the first time of a Liberal Party candidate proved more beneficial to the Conservatives. He was re-elected to the House of Commons at the 1929 general election, but was defeated again when the Labour Party split at the 1931 general election. He regained the seat at the 1935 general election, and represented Bradford Central for a decade until retiring from politics at the 1945 general election.