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Rt. Hon. R.B. Bennett

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Richard Bennett was elected Prime Minister of Canada in 1930.
19 September 1935

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Albert County has the distinction of being the birthplace and childhood home of the only New Brunswick born Prime Minister of Canada. Although born in Shepody, in 1870, at his grandmother's home, Richard Bedford Bennett grew up in Hopewell Cape.

Bennett's parents were Henry Bennett from Hopewell Cape and Henrietta Stiles of Hopewell Hill, who were married in 1869. He was the oldest of six siblings, one of whom passed away at a very young age. The children attended the nearby one room schoolhouse and the Methodist Church.

The Bennett family had become quite wealthy during the era of wooden shipbuilding, when R.B. Bennett's grandfather operated a shipyard. However, by the time R.B. Bennett had been born the shipyard had shut down as the demand for wooden ships had declined. Following the shut down of the shipyard Bennett's father supported the family in a number of ways including: running a store, farming, gypsum mining, and by serving as Justice of the Peace and Port Warden.

R.B. Bennett is said to have been greatly influenced in both his character and his beliefs by his mother. She was known to be quite "dignified, idealistic, religious, and ambitious" and was also very strict and overbearing, compared to her husband's more relaxed and congenial personality. Henrietta Stiles taught her son about history, in particular about the history of the British Empire. She helped foster a love in him for Britain, which would last his entire life. She recited Longfellow, Tennyson, Byron, and Milton to him as a child. Henrietta Stiles also passed on to her son her strict Methodist beliefs. He was known for his honesty, devotion, and ambition. After her death, Bennett described the important role that she played in his life calling her his "teacher, guide, counselor, companion, friend, and above all an impartial and candid critic". Due largely to his mothers influence, Bennett was a serious, shy, and studious child who did not have many friends.

A childhood teacher from the school that Bennett attended in Hopewell Cape also became a great influence in his life. This teacher would encourage his students to learn important historical events by acting them out during class. As Bennett loved drama and was a great mimic, this proved to be not only beneficial in increasing his knowledge of history, but also in developing his skills as a performer, which he would later use during his political career.

Bennett continued his education in Fredericton, where he attended Normal School and studied to become a teacher. He later became a principal in Douglastown, before becoming interested in law. Graduating from Dalhousie Law School in 1893, Bennett formed the law firm of Tweedie & Bennett with his friend Lemuel Tweedie. Lemuel Tweedie later became the Premier of New Brunswick and prosecuted the case against Tom Collins for the murder of Mary Ann McAuley at the preliminary trial held at the Court House in Hopewell Cape in 1906.

In 1896, Bennett moved to Calgary to work for the law firm of Senator James A. Lougheed. By this time, Bennett had become a great orator and soon became involved in politics within the Conservative Party. His political career progressed quite quickly from that point on, he first became a representative of Calgary in the provincial legislature, before becoming a Member of Parliament in 1911. He then became leader of the Federal Conservative Party and, in 1930, was elected Prime Minister of Canada.

Although in office during the depression era of the 1930's, Bennett's Government established the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, as well as the Bank of Canada. Also during Bennett's term in office, the British Parliament recognized Canada as a sovereign nation, in 1931.
McKenzie King was the leader of the opposition during the period when Bennett's Conservative Government was in power, and he helped to prevent many of Bennett's ideas and plans from being realized. When King became Prime Minister of Canada in 1935, after defeating Bennett's Government, he used many of Bennett's ideas, which he had blocked in the past, in his own programs.

R.B. Bennett retired from politics in 1938, after leading the opposition Conservatives for three years. He then moved to England, to a house next door to his long-time friend Lord Beaverbrook from Newcastle. He was given the title "Viscount Bennett of Mickleham, Surrey and of Calgary and Hopewell Canada". He died a wealthy man in his home in England, in 1947.