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- Albert County's own Prime Minster RB BENNETT Celebrates his 150th Birthday this year -
RICHARD BEDFORD BENNETT (1870-1947) was Canada’s 11th Prime Minister from August 7th, 1930 to October 23rd, 1935, a period that encompassed the worst years of the Great Depression.
Born on July 3rd, 1870 to Henrietta Stiles and Henry Bennett. R. B. Bennett grew up in Hopewell Cape. After teaching school for a few years, Bennett graduated from Dalhousie University in 1893 and practiced law in Chatham, NB for four years before moving to Calgary, where he established Bennett Jones, a very successful law firm which remains in business today.
Birthplace of RB Bennett
In 1927 he was elected leader of the Conservative Party. Bennett was an excellent parliamentarian and debater who strengthened his party leading up to the election of 1930. Elected Prime Minister of Canada in 1930 with a strong majority, Bennett campaigned on a platform to provide progressive action to deal with The Great Depression. As the global economic depression continued to worsen, the blame and responsibility for The Great Depression was attributed to Bennett, resulting in the Conservatives losing the election of 1935.
While Prime Minister of Canada R. B. Bennett created many progressive programs. He passed the Relief Act (1932); created the Canadian Broadcasting Commission (forerunner of the CBC); the central Bank of Canada (1935); and the Canadian Wheat Board (1935).
Prime Minister RB Bennett
In addition, Bennett signed the Statute of Westminster (1931) making the Canadian Parliament fully independent in its decisions.
After suffering political and personal family losses, Bennett moved to England to live and continue his law practice. In 1941 R. B. Bennett was made Viscount (of Mickleham, Calgary and Hopewell) and joined the House of Lords. His health gradually deteriorated until his death at home in Mickelham in 1947. He was buried there in the ancient churchyard; the only Prime Minister not interred in Canada.
Noted for his strong personality, decisiveness, and dedication to Canada, Bennett was personally generous with his acquired wealth during his lifetime and, by the direction of his estate, remains a benefactor to Canadians to this day.
Join us July 1 as we celebrate
this great Canadian.
REMEMBERING BENNETT
It has been said by many prominent figures, “A people that does not honour its past is condemned to have no future”. Albert County's past has been very well remembered indeed by the Albert County Historical Society.
As the last living relative of R.B. with a personal recollection of him, my memory of him is of a warm and kindly, though determined, man. He was every child’s ideal uncle. While R.B. was strict temperance, he certainly loved the pleasures of the table. Sunday lunch with R.B. was sheer joy for a small child, where I acquired a taste for foods that might be bad for me in later life.
Above all, R.B. was a devoted Canadian and a committed Christian – the right Canadian to lead Canada through the terrible years of the early 1930s. It is an honour for me to be able to pay tribute to R.B. on this happy occasion for Albert County.
Mr. William Herridge, QC
Nephew to RB Bennett
Prime Minister RB Bennett and his sister, Mildred Herridge
R.B. BENNETT
71 EGAP AC.571CA.WWW TISIV - 571 YTNUOC TREBLA