Francis Longworth Haszard
Encyclopedia
Francis Longworth Haszard (November 20, 1849 – July 25, 1938) was a Prince Edward Island
politician and jurist, the tenth Premier of Prince Edward Island
. Haszard's family had been United Empire Loyalists
moving to PEI from the United States
after the American Revolution
.
Longworth was born at Bellevue, Lot 49, Prince Edward Island
. He studied law, was called to the bar in 1872 and set up practice in Charlottetown
. He had been a magistrate
in Charlottetown before being elected to the provincial legislature
for the first time in 1904 as a Liberal
. In 1908, he was asked by the lieutenant governor to become premier after the death of Arthur Peters
.
The Liberals had been in power since 1891 and their majority
in the legislature had eroded over time. By the time Haszard became premier the Liberals and opposition Conservatives had almost equal strength in the house.
Haszard represented PEI at the Maritime and Inter-Provincial conferences held in 1910 and attempted to obtain a better deal for the province from the federal government.
Haszard left politics in 1911 to accept an appointment to the province's Supreme Court
and as Master of the Rolls
. He retired from the bench in 1930.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
politician and jurist, the tenth Premier of Prince Edward Island
Premier of Prince Edward Island
The Premier of Prince Edward Island is the first minister for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive.The current Premier of Prince Edward Island is Robert Ghiz.-See also:...
. Haszard's family had been United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
moving to PEI from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
Longworth was born at Bellevue, Lot 49, Prince Edward Island
Lot 49, Prince Edward Island
Lot 49 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Bedford Parish....
. He studied law, was called to the bar in 1872 and set up practice in Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
. He had been a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
in Charlottetown before being elected to the provincial legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
for the first time in 1904 as a Liberal
Prince Edward Island Liberal Party
The Prince Edward Island Liberal Party is a major political party in the province of Prince Edward Island, Canada. The PEI Liberals are aligned with the federal Liberal Party of Canada. The party is led by Robert Ghiz, a former member of the staff of the Prime Minister's Office under Prime Minister...
. In 1908, he was asked by the lieutenant governor to become premier after the death of Arthur Peters
Arthur Peters
Arthur Peters was the ninth Premier of Prince Edward Island.Arthur Peters and his brother Frederick Peters were born in Charlottetown....
.
The Liberals had been in power since 1891 and their majority
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
in the legislature had eroded over time. By the time Haszard became premier the Liberals and opposition Conservatives had almost equal strength in the house.
Haszard represented PEI at the Maritime and Inter-Provincial conferences held in 1910 and attempted to obtain a better deal for the province from the federal government.
Haszard left politics in 1911 to accept an appointment to the province's Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island
The Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island is the top court in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island and the highest Court of Appeals in the province....
and as Master of the Rolls
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
. He retired from the bench in 1930.