Charles Dow Richards

Charles Dow Richards (June 12, 1879 – September 15, 1956), was a Canadian lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Premier of New Brunswick from 1931 to 1933.

For other people with the same name, see Charles Richards (disambiguation).
Charles Dow Richards
Charles Dow Richards as Chief Justice
20th Premier of New Brunswick
In office
May 19, 1931 – June 1, 1933
MonarchGeorge V
Lieutenant GovernorHugh Havelock McLean
Preceded byJohn B. M. Baxter
Succeeded byLeonard P. D. Tilley
MLA for York
In office
October 9, 1920 – August 10, 1925
Serving with John A. Young, Samuel L.B. Hunter, James K. Pinder
Preceded byWilliam C. Crocket
Succeeded byB. H. Dougan
In office
June 18, 1930 – June 2, 1933
Preceded byRiding re-created
Succeeded byStewart E. Durling
MLA for Fredericton
In office
August 10, 1925 – June 18, 1930
Preceded byRiding created
Succeeded byRiding dissolved
Personal details
Born(1879-06-12)June 12, 1879
Southampton, New Brunswick, Canada
DiedSeptember 15, 1956(1956-09-15) (aged 77)
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)
Grace Bolton
​
(m. 1907)​
Children1 daughter
Alma materUniversity of New Brunswick
Occupationlawyer, judge
Professionpolitician

Early life and education

Richards was born in Southampton, New Brunswick.[1] He attended Fredericton Normal School and later the University of New Brunswick.[2]

Career

Richards taught school for several years.[2] He was admitted to the bar at age 33. and practised law in Fredericton.

Richards was elected to the New Brunswick legislature in 1920.[2] He served as Conservative house leader and then Minister of Lands and Mines under Premier John B. M. Baxter. In 1928 the University of New Brunswick conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.[3]

In 1931 Richards became premier of New Brunswick.[4] His two-year administration, in the depths of the Great Depression, instituted public bidding on crown land and fishing rights. In 1933 he left politics when he was appointed to the Supreme Court of New Brunswick, serving as its Chief Justice from 1946 to 1955.[5][6]

As Justice, Richards sentenced the last man to be executed in Charlotte County. He did not accept the jury's request "that mercy be shown to the accused," 22-year-old Thomas Roland Hutchings, and sentenced him to hang at St. Andrews, New Brunswick on Wednesday, December 16, 1942 for the rape and murder of Bernice Connors.

Personal life

Richards married Grace Bolton. The couple had one daughter, who married a descendant of Philemon Wright.

Richards died in 1956 and was buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Fredericton.[2]

References
  1. "Charles Dow Richards". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  2. Robert Michael Willes Chitty (1956). Chitty's Law Journal. 6. Jonah Publications. p. 261.
  3. Canada Lumberman and Woodworker. 48. H.C. Maclean. 1928. p. 44.
  4. The School. 20. 1932. p. 214.
  5. Brandon Daily Sun Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, August 11, 1955, page 7.
  6. The Solicitors' Journal. 77, Part 1. The Journal. 1933. p. 408.
Legal offices
Preceded by
John B. M. Baxter		 Chief Justice of New Brunswick
1946–1955		 Succeeded by
John B. McNair
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