Thomas Bellamy

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Thomas Bellamy
Thomas Bellamy
Alderman on the Edmonton Town Council
In office
January 14, 1895 – December 14, 1896
Alderman on the Edmonton City Council
In office
December 12, 1904 – December 10, 1906
In office
December 9, 1907 – December 14, 1908
In office
August 14, 1911 – February 16, 1912
In office
December 11, 1916 – December 10, 1917
Born 1853
Durham County, Ontario
Died October 11, 1926
Spouse Lora Davis
Children 2 daughters, 1 son (Ralph)
Profession Businessman

Thomas Bellamy (born 1853, died October 11, 1926) was a politician in Alberta, Canada and a municipal councillor in Edmonton.

[edit] Biography

Bellamy was born in Durham County, Ontario in 1853. He moved to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 1881 after marrying Lora Davis in 1875. The pair had two daughters and one son; the son, Ralph, would go on to become a city councillor in Edmonton himself.

He engaged in agricultural business as an agent of A. Harris, Son, and Co. and was transferred to Winnipeg in 1890 and Edmonton two years later. In Edmonton, he started the Bellamy Company, dealers of agricultural implements, in 1896, and also introduced lilacs to the city.

He served on the public school board in 1893, again from 1895 until 1899, and a last time from 1901 to 1902.

He began his career in municipal politics in 1895 when he was elected to Edmonton Town Council as an alderman. He was re-elected in 1896, finishing third of eight candidates (the top six were elected), but did not seek re-election the following election. He attempted to make a return to council in 1900, but was defeated, placing seventh of eight candidates. He next effort, in 1904, was more successful, as he placed fourth of seventeen candidates and became one of four aldermen elected to a two year term on Edmonton's first city council.

At the conclusion of this term, in the 1906 election, Bellamy made his first of three bids for mayor. He finished second of three candidates, being defeated by William Antrobus Griesbach. He returned to council as an alderman the next election, finishing third of twelve candidates, but resigned halfway through his two year term to contest the mayoral race in 1908 election. This time, he was defeated by Robert Lee.

Bellamy took a hiatus from politics, but when James McKinley resigned his seat in 1911 to protest the firing of two city commissioners, Bellamy ran against him during the ensuing by-election and defeated him by 966 votes to 576. He did not seek re-election the following year, but did return for a final stint on council during the 1916 election, when he placed first of eleven aldermanic candidates. He once again resigned half way through his two year term to run for mayor, but finished fourth of five candidates in the 1917. He did not return to political life thereafter.

Bellamy was a Mason, and served as lodge treasurer for twenty years. He had a reputation as an excellent ritualist. According to legend, this was because his business required him to travel extensively by horse and buggy. Bellamy would recite the rituals aloud on such journeys, and his horse eventually became so familiar with them that if Bellamy erred in reciting them, it would stop and refuse to proceed until he got it right.

Thomas Bellamy died October 11, 1926. Bellamy Hill in Edmonton is named in his honour.

[edit] References

Persondata
NAME Bellamy, Thomas
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION politician
DATE OF BIRTH 1853
PLACE OF BIRTH Durham County, Upper Canada
DATE OF DEATH October 11, 1926
PLACE OF DEATH