Wilfred Cornett Lockhart was born on October 17, 1906, to Tom and Harriet Lockhart in Dundalk, Ontario. Lockhart’s father was—at various times in his life—a farmer, bicycle shop operator, brick plant owner, real estate promoter, prospector, Ford Motor Company agent and dealer and fox farmer before his death in 1924.
Lockhart was raised and attended school, with one older brother and four sisters, in Dundalk. Upon graduation he went to Victoria College (University of Toronto) in 1926 and received his B.A. in 1929. He then attended Emmanuel College (University of Toronto) from 1930 to 1932, graduating with an M.A. Lockhart received a Post-Graduate Fellowship, on the strength of which he married Margaret Eileen Armstrong on September 20, 1933. The couple moved to Edinburgh, Scotland for Lockhart to complete his Ph.D, which he received in 1936. During his years in Edinburgh he also served as assistant minister at North Leith Parish Church, in the dockland area.
In 1935 Lockhart returned to Canada to become Secretary of the Student Christian Movement and the Padre of first Hart House at Victoria College and later the University of Toronto Canadian Officers Training Corps, a position he held until 1946. In 1940 he accepted the call to ministry at Sherbourne St. United Church when its minister, Ewert Cochrane, went overseas in World War II. Upon Cochrane’s return in 1942 Lockhart gave up his post and became minister at Kingsway-Lambton United Church, where he worked for the next 13 years.
In 1955 Dr. W. C. Graham retired and Dr Lockhart was offered the position of Principal of United College, which he accepted. In 1958 a private letter from one of the College’s professors—Harry Crowe—to W. A. Packer containing disparaging remarks about United College was given to Lockhart. Rumors regarding Dr. Lockhart, the college and academic freedom spread in what became known as the “Crowe Case.” In 1959, due to the nature of the situation, Lockhart resigned as Principal. This resignation was not accepted, however, and he remained head of the college until his retirement.
During his time as Principal, Lockhart was involved with the Manitoba Council on Higher Learning, and thus was partly responsible for United College’s growth into the University of Winnipeg in 1967. It was as the first President of the University of Winnipeg that Lockhart retired in 1971.
Three other positions held by Lockhart are worthy of special mention. First, between 1966 and 1968 Lockhart served as the Moderator of the United Church of Canada. Second, Lockhart was a member of the Board of Regents of Victoria University, and in 1983 he became a permanent member of the Chancellor’s Council of Victoria University. Thirdly, from 1946 until 1955 he was Chairman of the Board of Colleges and Schools of the United Church of Canada.
Following his retirement from the University of Winnipeg Lockhart and his wife moved to Etobicoke, Ontario. In January 1986 Eileen died, and in 1988 Lockhart remarried. On October 16, 1991, Lockhart himself passed away. He was survived by his second wife, Anne Chorney, and his two children Wendy and David.