Thomas Robertson (Nova Scotia politician)

For other people named Thomas Robertson, see Thomas Robertson (disambiguation).

Thomas Robertson (September 13, 1852 – April 19, 1902) was a Canadian civil servant, entrepreneur and politician. Robertson was a Liberal member of Parliament for the electoral district of Shelburne in the House of Commons of Canada from 1878 to 1887, a Nova Scotia Liberal member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1894 to 1902, and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 1902.

Thomas Robertson
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Shelburne
In office 1878–1887
Preceded by	Thomas Coffin
Succeeded by	John Wimburne Laurie
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Shelburne
In office 1894–1902
Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
In office February 13, 1902 – April 19, 1902
Preceded by	Frederick Andrew Laurence
Succeeded by	Frederick Andrew Laurence
Personal details
Born	(1852-09-13)September 13, 1852 Barrington Passage, Nova Scotia
Died	April 19, 1902(1902-04-19) (aged 49) Dell Rapids, South Dakota
Political party	Liberal
Other political affiliations	Nova Scotia Liberal Party
Children	Wishart McLea Robertson Robert Burnley Hume Robertson James Robertson

Born in Barrington, Nova Scotia, the son of Robert Robertson and Sarah Richan, he worked in the provincial Department of Public Works and Mines and in the office of the provincial secretary as well as in the immigration branch of the federal Department of Agriculture. In 1884, he married Josephine Hume Allan. Robertson was president of the Barrington and Cape Island Steam Ferry Company and of the Coast Railway Company, nicknamed "Tom Robertson's Wheelbarrow Railway" and later taken over by the Canadian Northern Railway. He established a newspaper, the Cape Sable Advertiser, which operated from 1886 to 1890.

Robertson died in Dell Rapids, South Dakota, at the age of 49 while attempting to recover from an illness.

His son, Wishart McLea Robertson was a senator, Speaker of the Senate, and a minister without portfolio.

Electoral record

1878 Canadian federal election: Shelburne
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Thomas Robertson	966
	Unknown	Robert W. Freeman	899
	Liberal	Thomas Coffin	198

1882 Canadian federal election: Shelburne
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Thomas Robertson	912
	Unknown	N.W. White	775

References

• Thomas Robertson (Nova Scotia politician) – Parliament of Canada biography
• Robertson, Marion (1994). "Thomas Robertson". Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Retrieved 23 October 2008.