Richard Hanson

Richard Burpee Hanson, PC, KC (March 20, 1879 – July 14, 1948) was a Canadian politician who served as interim leader of the Conservative Party from May 14, 1940 until November 11, 1941.

For other people named Richard Hanson, see Richard Hanson (disambiguation).
The Honourable

Richard Hanson

PC KC
Leader of the Opposition
In office
May 14, 1940 – January 1, 1943
Preceded byRobert Manion
Succeeded byGordon Graydon
Mayor of Fredericton
In office
1918–1920
Personal details
Born(1879-03-20)March 20, 1879
Bocabec, New Brunswick, Canada
DiedJuly 10, 1948(1948-07-10) (aged 69)
NationalityCanadian
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)Jean B. Neill (m. 1906)
Children1
Residence270 Church St., Fredericton
Alma materMount Allison University, Dalhousie Law School
ProfessionLawyer

Early life and education

Hanson was born on March 20, 1879, in Bocabec, Charlotte County, New Brunswick to parents Richard B. and Hannah Hanson. He was educated in public schools in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Mount Allison University, and Dalhousie Law School.[1]

Career

He was admitted to the Bar of New Brunswick in November 1902 and was created a King's Counsel by the Government of New Brunswick in January 1917. From 1918 to 1920, he was Mayor of Fredericton.[1]

First elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for the New Brunswick electoral district of York—Sunbury in the 1921 general election,[2] Hanson served continuously in the House of Commons of Canada until his defeat in the 1935 election.[3] He was appointed to the Cabinet of R. B. Bennett in 1934 as Minister of Trade and Commerce.[4]

In the 1940 election, he returned to Parliament despite the poor showing of the Conservatives in that election and the personal defeat of Robert Manion. Since Manion resigned two months after the election, the Conservative caucus chose Hanson as interim leader and he served as Conservative Party Leader until Arthur Meighen was appointed the party's new leader in November 1941.[5] As Meighen did not have a seat in the House (and then failed to win a seat through a by-election), Hanson continued as Leader of the Opposition until 1943.

Death and legacy

Hanson died on July 14, 1948, due to illness.[6] The University of New Brunswick hands out the Richard Burpee Hanson Prize to a Faculty of Arts male student with the highest grades in English and History in the Sophomore level.[7]

Archives

There is a Richard Burpee Hanson fonds at Library and Archives Canada.[8]

References
  1. Prominent people of the Maritime Provinces (in business and professional life) 1922, p. 79.
  2. "Two By-Elections Made No Chnage in Party Status". Brandon Daily Sun. Manitoba. May 30, 1921.
  3. "I First Saw". Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg. November 26, 1934.
  4. "New Dominion Cabinet Ministers". Timmins Procupine Advance. Ontario. December 3, 1934.
  5. Reardon, Terry (October 6, 2012). Winston Churchill and Mackenzie King: So Similar, So Different. Dundurn. p. 200. ISBN 9781459705906. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  6. "Ex-House Leader R.B. Hanson Dies After Illness". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg. July 14, 1948.
  7. "Richard Burpee Hanson Prize". unb.ca. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  8. "Richard Burpee Hanson fonds, Library and Archives Canada". Retrieved September 4, 2020.

Bibliography
Party political offices
Preceded by
Robert Manion		 Leader of the Conservative Party
1940–1941		 Succeeded by
Arthur Meighen
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