Thomas Gordon William Ashbourne
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gordon William Ashbourne (December 4, 1894 – March 8, 1984) was a Canadian
politician who was part of the Newfoundland National Convention
which discussed the terms of union between Newfoundland and Canada.
, he was classmates with Lester Pearson while attending Victoria College, University of Toronto
. After graduating in 1917, he joined the Canadian Army but was later not allowed to fight due to an irregular heartbeat. He fought instead with the British Army
in Flanders
from 1917 to 1918.
, he was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for Twillingate and was re-elected 1924.
In 1947, he was elected to the Newfoundland National Convention for Twillingate. He also visited Parliament Hill
with the Ottawa Delegation to negotiate the Terms of Union for Confederation with Canada.
The delegation's members (With their districts) were:
for the riding of Grand Falls—White Bay in 1949
. A Liberal
, he was re-elected in 1953
and 1957
.
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...
politician who was part of the Newfoundland National Convention
Newfoundland National Convention
The Newfoundland National Convention of 1946 was a forum established to decide the constitutional future of Newfoundland-Nominations:On 11 December 1945 the Government of Britain announced that there would be an election to a National Convention, which would debate constitutional options and make a...
which discussed the terms of union between Newfoundland and Canada.
Early life
Born in Twillingate, NewfoundlandTwillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador
Twillingate is a town of 2,448 people located on the Twillingate Islands in Notre Dame Bay. It is located off the northeastern shore of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was incorporated on September 30, 1965. The town is about north of Lewisporte and...
, he was classmates with Lester Pearson while attending Victoria College, University of Toronto
Victoria University in the University of Toronto
Victoria University is a constituent college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1836 and named for Queen Victoria. It is commonly called Victoria College, informally Vic, after the original academic component that now forms its undergraduate division...
. After graduating in 1917, he joined the Canadian Army but was later not allowed to fight due to an irregular heartbeat. He fought instead with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
from 1917 to 1918.
Politics
In 1923General elections in Newfoundland (pre-Confederation)
Newfoundland, as a British colony and dominion, held 29 general elections for its 28 Newfoundland House of Assemblies. In 1934 the Dominion of Newfoundland surrendered its constitution to the Crown and ceased to have a legislature in order to be ruled by London through the Commission of...
, he was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...
for Twillingate and was re-elected 1924.
In 1947, he was elected to the Newfoundland National Convention for Twillingate. He also visited Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
with the Ottawa Delegation to negotiate the Terms of Union for Confederation with Canada.
The delegation's members (With their districts) were:
- T.G.W. Ashbourne (Twillingate)
- F.G. Bradley (Bonavista South)
- Charles BallramCharles BallramCharles H. Ballam union leader, officeholder and delegate at Newfoundland National Convention, born Curling, Newfoundland, Canada, son of Alice and Manoah Ballam....
(Humber) - Lester BurryLester BurryLester L. Burry born Safe Harbour, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland.-A United Church Minister:Lester Burry was baptized Methodist in 1898 and ordained a United Church minister in 1924.-Politics:...
(Labrador) - P.W. Crummey (Bay de Verde)
- Joey SmallwoodJoey SmallwoodJoseph Roberts "Joey" Smallwood, PC, CC was the main force that brought Newfoundland into the Canadian confederation, and became the first Premier of Newfoundland . As premier, he vigorously promoted economic development, championed the welfare state, and emphasized modernization of education and...
(Bonavista Centre)
Post-Confederation
After Confederation, Ashbourne was elected to the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
for the riding of Grand Falls—White Bay in 1949
Canadian federal election, 1949
The Canadian federal election of 1949 was held on June 27 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 21st Parliament of Canada. It was the first election in Canada in almost thirty years in which the Liberal Party of Canada was not led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. King had...
. A Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
, he was re-elected in 1953
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
and 1957
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
.