William Stafford

In 1882 William Stafford was hired by Sir Alexander Galt to become the first manager and superintendent of the North West Coal and Navigation Company Limited's mines. He was sent west with Captain Bryant to determine the best location for the company's first mine. It was Stafford who decided to open up drift mines (Drift Mine No. 1) on the west side of the Oldman River. This decision gave rise to the establishment of a mining camp called Coalbanks and led eventually to the location of the City of Lethbridge.

P19730034000-GM William Stafford, first manager of the Lethbridge Galt Mines.

Stafford became inspector of mines in 1894 and was succeeded as mines superintendent by W.D. Hardie. About that time, Stafford became interested in ranching and resigned from the company to follow that pursuit. However, he maintained his interests in coal mining until the time of his death on May 12, 1907, when he still had an interest in a mine at Carmangay, Alberta.