Religion in Waterloo South (Pre 1911)

At the turn of the 20th century, religion played a crucial role as a cultural identifier, and influenced the social lives of citizens. While Waterloo Region was ethnically diverse, it was religiously diverse as well. Waterloo South was a mixed society. The towns of Galt and Ayr had a unique ethnic and religious identity in contrast to that of their German counterparts.

While Lutheranism was the most prominent religion of the Waterloo North, religions closely associated with Britain, such as Anglicanism, Presbyterianism, and Methodism, were dominant in the Waterloo South. This is most evident in Galt, where the dominant parishioners were 4,240 Presbyterians, 1,930 Anglicans, and 2,122 Methodists. The exception to this dominance of Anglo-Protestants is Preston, whose parishioners were 862 Lutherans, 844 Roman Catholics, 707 Methodists, 704 Anglicans, and 525 Presbyterians in 1911. Much like Waterloo North, these parishioners worked together as the majority of citizens shared Christian beliefs.

(Fifth Census of Canada 1911, Volume I. C.H.Parmelee: Ottawa, 1912; Fourth Census of Canada 1901, Volume I. Ottawa: S.E.Dawson, 1902; Third Census of Canada, 1890-91. S.E.Dawson, 1893; Second Census of Canada, 1880-81. Maclean, Roger & Co: Ottawa, 1883; First Census of Canada, 1870-71. Ottawa: I.B. Taylor, 1873.)