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Thomas Ryan (Canadian politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Ryan was a footwear manufacturer, municipal politician and the tenth Mayor of Winnipeg
in 1889.
As a youth, Ryan fought the attempted Fenian
invasion of Canada in 1866. He then established a trade in making boots and shoes, moving to Winnipeg in 1874 to establish business at what would become the Ryan Block on 492 Main Street. He was dubbed "The Shoe King" due to his success in that business which served customers between present-day British Columbia
and Lake Superior
in Ontario.
Ryan became a city alderman in 1884 and served in that role until he was elected Mayor for a single one-year term in 1889. He was dedicated to the Methodist Church, helping to establish Grace Methodist Church in Winnipeg and serving as president of the local YMCA
. He developed and imposed restrictions on Sunday commerce during his mayoral term.
Norwegian Annie Anderson was Ryan's wife with whom he had nine children. Winnipeg's Ryan Street is named in his honour.
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
in 1889.
As a youth, Ryan fought the attempted Fenian
Fenian
The Fenians , both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood , were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish Republic in the 19th and early 20th century. The name "Fenians" was first applied by John O'Mahony to the members of the Irish republican...
invasion of Canada in 1866. He then established a trade in making boots and shoes, moving to Winnipeg in 1874 to establish business at what would become the Ryan Block on 492 Main Street. He was dubbed "The Shoe King" due to his success in that business which served customers between present-day British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
in Ontario.
Ryan became a city alderman in 1884 and served in that role until he was elected Mayor for a single one-year term in 1889. He was dedicated to the Methodist Church, helping to establish Grace Methodist Church in Winnipeg and serving as president of the local YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. He developed and imposed restrictions on Sunday commerce during his mayoral term.
Norwegian Annie Anderson was Ryan's wife with whom he had nine children. Winnipeg's Ryan Street is named in his honour.