Robert John Fleming (Canadian politician)

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 and the next year as mayor. He resigned in 1897 to accept appointment as an assessment commissioner of Toronto and held that position until 1904. 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 and was defeated.

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