Robert John Fleming (Canadian politician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert John Fleming (November 23, 1854 - October 26, 1925) was twice Mayor of Toronto (1892-1893 and 2nd incumbency 1896–1897)

Born in Toronto, Robert John Fleming was of Irish ancestry, the son of William and Jane (Cauldwell) Fleming. Educated in Toronto public schools he first entered the business world in real estate. From there he moved on to the Toronto Railway Company becoming the general manager in 1905.

Fleming's political career began as an Alderman 1886 to 1890. In 1892 was elected mayor of Toronto. He was reelected in 1896 as mayor. From 1898 to 1904 he as an assessment commissioner of Toronto. In 1894 presided over the National Exhibition Conventio at Montreal. Fleming was president in 1895 of the Dominion Prohibitory Alliance. He strongly believed in the prohibition of liquor traffic.

Fleming ran for mayor again in 1923 against Mayor Charles A. Maguire.

As a businessman he was general manager of the Toronto & Niagara Power Company, general manager of the Toronto Electric light Company and general manager of the Electrical Development Company . He as also director of the Toronto Board of Trade. He was a member of the Toronto Harbor Commission in 1921.

Personal Life: He married (first) in December 1879 Margaret Jane Breadon, who died in March 1883; she was the daughter of Christopher Breadon of Montreal. His second marriage in October 1888 was to Lydia Jane Orford, daughter of William Orford of Toronto. He was the father of four sons and five daughters. Fleming had an active interest in thoroughbred horses.

Robert John Fleming died in 1925 and was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.

References: Middletown, Jesse Edgar, The Municipality of Toronto - A History, Dominion Publishing, 1923

Political offices
Preceded by Edward F. Clarke	Mayor of Toronto 1892-1893	Succeeded by Warring Kennedy
Preceded by Warring Kennedy	Mayor of Toronto 1896-1897	Succeeded by John Shaw

v • d • e Mayors of Toronto

William Lyon Mackenzie • Robert Baldwin Sullivan • Thomas David Morrison • George Gurnett • John Powell • George Monro • Henry Sherwood • William Henry Boulton • George Gurnett (again) • John George Bowes • Joshua George Beard • George William Allan • John Beverley Robinson • John Hutchison • William Henry Boulton (again) • David Breakenridge Read • Adam Wilson • John George Bowes (again) • Francis Henry Medcalf • James Edward Smith • Samuel Bickerton Harman • Joseph Sheard • Alexander Manning • Francis Henry Medcalf (again) • Angus Morrison • James Beaty • William Barclay McMurrich • Arthur Radcliffe Boswell • Alexander Manning (again) • William Holmes Howland • Edward Frederick Clarke • Robert John Fleming • Warring Kennedy • Robert John Fleming (again) • John Shaw • Ernest A. Macdonald • Oliver Aiken Howland • Thomas Urquhart • Emerson Coatsworth • Joseph Oliver • George Reginald Geary • Horatio Clarence Hocken • Thomas Langton Church • Charles A. Maguire • William W. Hiltz • Thomas Foster • Samuel McBride • Bert Wemp • William James Stewart • James Simpson • Samuel McBride (again) • William D. Robbins • Ralph Day • Frederick J. Conboy • Robert Hood Saunders • Hiram E. McCallum • Allan A. Lamport • Leslie Howard Saunders • Nathan Phillips • Donald Dean Summerville • Philip Givens • William Dennison • David Crombie • Fred Beavis • John Sewell • Art Eggleton • June Rowlands • Barbara Hall • Mel Lastman • David Miller