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Henry Cockshutt

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Henry Cockshutt
Henry Cockshutt
13th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
In office
September 10, 1921 – January 12, 1927
MonarchGeorge V
Governors GeneralThe Viscount Byng of Vimy
The Viscount Willingdon
PremierErnest Charles Drury
Howard Ferguson
Preceded byLionel Herbert Clarke
Succeeded byWilliam Donald Ross
Personal details
Born(1868-07-08)July 8, 1868
Brantford, Ontario
DiedNovember 26, 1944(1944-11-26) (aged 76)
Brantford, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Political partyGovernment
Spouse
Anna Rolls
(m. 1896)
ResidenceBrantford, Ontario
OccupationBusinessman
ProfessionPolitician

Henry Cockshutt (July 8, 1868 – November 26, 1944) was the 13th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Canada.

Born in Brantford, Ontario, a son of Ignatius Cockshutt and Elizabeth Foster, he started in the family business, Cockshutt Plow Company, in 1884, becoming treasurer in 1888, secretary-treasurer in 1891, and president in 1911. In 1889, he was elected to Brantford City Council as an alderman and was elected mayor in 1899. In 1906 he was president of the Canadian Manufacturers' Association. He fought during World War I with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

In the 1917 federal election he ran unsuccessfully as an independent candidate in the riding of Brant. He lost to the Government candidate, John Harold. In 1921, he was appointed lieutenant-governor of Ontario and served as King George V's representative until 1927. From 1929 to 1944, he served as chancellor of the University of Western Ontario. In 1934, he retired as president of the Cockshutt Plow Company and became chairman of the board, which he held until his death.

In 1896, he married Isabelle Rolls. They had two daughters, Margaret Elizabeth and Katherine Isabelle. He died November 26, 1944, and is buried in the Farringdon Burial Ground, Brant County. His mansion, Dufferin House, in Brantford, became the campus for St John's College School. In the early 1970s, the private Catholic school moved to another location and the former estate was demolished and the property sold. The grounds of Dufferin House are now the site of a condominium development.

Today, you can find Cockshutt Park located in West Brant, which has batting cages, a playground, and four baseball diamonds, including Arnold Anderson Stadium, home of the Brantford Red Sox.

Electoral record

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1917 Canadian federal election: Brant
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Government (Unionist) John Harold 2,106 38.8 -13.1
Independent Henry Cockshutt 2,023 37.3
Opposition (Laurier Liberals) Blackwell Lawrence Doran 1,299 23.9 -24.2
Total valid votes 5,428 100.0

Note: Unionist vote is compared to Conservative vote in 1911 election.

References

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Government offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
1921–1927
Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of the University of Western Ontario
1929–1944
Succeeded by