James Langstaff Bowman
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2008) |
James Langstaff Bowman | |
|---|---|
| 18th Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada | |
| In office January 17, 1935 – February 5, 1936 | |
| Monarchs | George V Edward VIII |
| Governors General | The Earl of Bessborough The Lord Tweedsmuir |
| Prime Minister | Richard Bedford Bennett |
| Preceded by | George Black |
| Succeeded by | Pierre-François Casgrain |
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Dauphin | |
| In office 1930–1935 | |
| Preceded by | William John Ward |
| Succeeded by | William John Ward |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 6, 1879 Thornhill, Ontario |
| Died | September 14, 1951 (aged 71) Dauphin, Manitoba |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Curling | ||
 |
1932 Lake Placid | Curling (demonstration) |
James Langstaff Bowman, PC (October 6, 1879 – September 14, 1951) was the first Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada from Manitoba.
Biography
[edit]Bowman had been a teacher and lawyer in Dauphin, Manitoba. In 1917, he became the town's mayor. He ran unsuccessfully in the 1925 and 1926 general elections for the Conservative Party. He finally winning a seat in the 1930 election that brought R.B. Bennett to power.
He became Speaker after his predecessor, George Black, suffered a nervous breakdown in the summer of 1934, and was unfit to preside when the House of Commons of Canada reconvened in January 1935.
As the Deputy Speaker was ill, Bennett approached Bowman, a backbencher, hours before the House was to convene, about becoming Speaker for the rest of the Parliamentary term.
Bowman had little experience as Speaker and had to deal with a tense, pre-election session. Members of Parliament on all sides of the House felt that Bowman did well in the job. But when the 1935 general election was held in the fall, Bowman lost his seat by a large margin.
He returned to his law practice in Dauphin and failed in his attempt to regain his seat in the 1940 election.
James Bowman was named to the team that represented the Manitoba Curling Association at the 1932 Winter Olympics. That year, curling was a demonstration sport. Bowman was third for the team which took first place in the event. The Manitoba team was undefeated, winning all four of its games at the Olympics.[1] In 2004, the team was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Imrie, Diane (27 March 2014). "Fort William mayor won Olympic gold". Chronicle-Journal. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014.
- ^ "1932 W.H. Burns Curling Team". Honoured Members Database. Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014.
External links
[edit]- James Langstaff Bowman – Parliament of Canada biography
- James Bowman at World Curling
- James Bowman at Olympedia
| Demonstration events | |
|---|---|
| Official events |
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- 1879 births
- 1951 deaths
- Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Manitoba
- Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) MPs
- Speakers of the House of Commons of Canada
- Lawyers in Manitoba
- Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada
- Canadian sportsperson-politicians from Manitoba
- Canadian people of German descent
- Mayors of Dauphin, Manitoba
- Canadian male curlers
- Curlers from Manitoba
- Curlers from Ontario
- Olympic curlers for Canada
- Olympic gold medalists for Canada
- Curlers at the 1932 Winter Olympics
- Medalists at the 1932 Winter Olympics
- 20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada
- 20th-century Canadian sportsmen