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William Poy

1907 – 2002

Canadian businessman

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About William Poy

Lived 1907 – 2002 (aged 94–95). William Poy was a Canadian businessperson.

William George Poy, MM (; 17 May 1907 – 3 February 2002) was an Australian-born Canadian civil servant and businessman of Chinese descent. He served with the Royal Hong Kong Regiment (the Volunteers) during World War II as a Lance Corporal messenger and worked for the Canadian Trade Commission in Hong Kong. He was awarded the Military Medal for his service in Hong Kong.

Life and career Poy was born in Chiltern, Victoria, Australia to Ah Poy as one of seven children. He left Hong Kong in 1942 and settled in Ottawa, Ontario, with his wife Ethel Poy, a fellow migrant from Guangdong province of Hakka descent and their two children, Adrienne and Neville. His daughter, Adrienne, would later become the Governor General of Canada.

Poy obtained a degree in political science from the University of Ottawa. He continued to work at the trade commission until 1946 and later became a stock broker working in Canada and Hong Kong. Poy established the Allied Trading Company in Ottawa after his career with the Trade Commission.

Poy retired in the mid-1970s and moved to Toronto. Widowed in 1988, he died at a nursing home in 2002. He was survived by two brothers, Lindsay and Roy, in Australia, and other distant relatives in China and Australia. He was predeceased by his brother Leslie.

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Important facts

Born
1907, Jiangmen
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
University of Ottawa
Awards
Military Medal

People in William Poy's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William Poy's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William Poy?

Canadian businessman (1907–2002)

When was William Poy born?

William Poy was born in 1907 in Jiangmen.

When did William Poy die?

William Poy died on 3 February 2002.

What was William Poy's occupation?

William Poy was a businessperson.

What nationality was William Poy?

William Poy was Canadian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William Poy

· Wikidata: Q8017050

· DBpedia: William Poy

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Poy. https://biography.guide/william-poy/

MLA: "William Poy." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-poy/.

Chicago: "William Poy." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-poy/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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