Joseph Clearihue
Encyclopedia
Joseph Badenoch Clearihue (1887–1976) was a Canadian
lawyer, judge, academic and politician.
in 1887. He was educated at Victoria High School before attending Victoria College, British Columbia
(a predecessor institution of the University of Victoria
) in 1903, where he was one of the first to study at the college. He then attended McGill University
before winning a Rhodes Scholarship
to the University of Oxford
, studying for two years at Jesus College, Oxford
from 1911. During the First World War, Clearihue served with the Fifth Canadian Field Artillery Unit. Thereafter, he worked as a lawyer and served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
when he was elected in 1920
as a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party
for Victoria City
. He was later an alderman
for Victoria and a county court judge, becoming chair of the Victoria College Council in 1947 and leading it to the award of university status in 1963. He was the first chancellor for the University and he served as chair of the Board of Governors from 1963 to 1966. The Clearihue building on the University of Victoria campus is named in his honour. Clearihue died in 1976.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
lawyer, judge, academic and politician.
Life
Clearihue was born in Victoria, British ColumbiaVictoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
in 1887. He was educated at Victoria High School before attending Victoria College, British Columbia
Victoria College, British Columbia
Victoria College was a two-year college in Victoria, British Columbia founded in 1903 with sponsorship from McGill University. It was one of the first post-secondary institutions in British Columbia...
(a predecessor institution of the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
) in 1903, where he was one of the first to study at the college. He then attended McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
before winning a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
to the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, studying for two years at Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
from 1911. During the First World War, Clearihue served with the Fifth Canadian Field Artillery Unit. Thereafter, he worked as a lawyer and served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
when he was elected in 1920
British Columbia general election, 1920
The British Columbia general election of 1920 was the fifteenth general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on October 23, 1920, and held on December 1, 1920...
as a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party
British Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
for Victoria City
Victoria City (provincial electoral district)
Victoria City was one of the first twelve provincial electoral districts in the province of British Columbia, Canada, upon its entry into Confederation that year. It was originally a four-member riding, and elected to the Legislature several prominent Members of the Legislative Assembly and...
. He was later an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
for Victoria and a county court judge, becoming chair of the Victoria College Council in 1947 and leading it to the award of university status in 1963. He was the first chancellor for the University and he served as chair of the Board of Governors from 1963 to 1966. The Clearihue building on the University of Victoria campus is named in his honour. Clearihue died in 1976.