Thomas_Birkett

Thomas Birkett

Thomas Birkett

Canadian politician

Thomas Birkett (February 1, 1844 – December 2, 1920) was mayor of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1891[1] and a member of the House of Commons of Canada representing Ottawa City from 1900 to 1904.[2]

For his son, a member of the provincial parliament, see Thomas Miles Birkett. For the British peer and photographer, see Thomas Birkett, 3rd Baron Birkett.
Quick Facts 19th Mayor of Ottawa, Preceded by ...

Birkett was born in Bytown (today known as Ottawa), Canada West in 1844,[2] the son of Miles Birkett and Elizabeth Wren, who came from England. At the age of 13, he became an apprentice to a local hardware store owner. In 1866, he opened his own hardware store. Birkett served on the school board from 1867 to 1871 and was an alderman on Ottawa City Council from 1873 to 1878.[3] During his term as mayor, electric streetcars were introduced in Ottawa.[1] In 1871, he married Mary Gallagher;[3] after her death, he married Henrietta Gallagher, her stepsister, in 1904.[4] Birkett also served as president of the advisory board of the Dominion Building and Loan Association at Ottawa. He was also a long-time member of the Masonic Order.[3] In 1900, he was named a trustee for the Ottawa Collegiate Institute.[4] He died in Ottawa of pneumonia in 1920.[1] He is buried at Beechwood Cemetery.

His former home, nicknamed Birkett's Castle, is now used as the Hungarian Embassy.[1]

References

  1. [1]
    Mullington, Dave (2005). Chain of Office: Biographic Sketches of Ottawa's Mayors (1847-1948). Renfrew, Ontario: General Store Publishing House. pp. 77–79. ISBN 978-1-8971-1317-2.
  2. [2]
    Thomas Birkett – Parliament of Canada biography
  3. [3]
    Adam, G. Mercer, ed. (1892). Prominent Men of Canada. Toronto: Canadian Biographical Publishing Co. pp. 180–182.
  4. [4]
    Charlesworth, Hector Willoughby, ed. (1919). A Cyclopædia of Canadian biography. Toronto: Hunter-Rose Company. OCLC 1042901332. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
Preceded by Mayor of Ottawa
1891		 Succeeded by
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