The Honourable Sir
Henry Lumley Drayton
PC KC
Minister of Finance and Receiver General
In office
August 2, 1919 – December 28, 1921
Prime MinisterArthur Meighen
Preceded byArthur Sifton
Succeeded byRodolphe Monty
In office
June 29, 1926 – July 12, 1926 (Acting)
Prime MinisterArthur Meighen
Preceded byJames Robb
Succeeded byR.B. Bennett
Secretary of State for Canada (Acting)
In office
January 24, 1921 – September 20, 1921
Prime MinisterArthur Meighen
Preceded byArthur Sifton
Succeeded byRodolphe Monty
Minister of Railways and Canals (Acting)
In office
June 29, 1926 – July 12, 1926
Prime MinisterArthur Meighen
Preceded byCharles Avery Dunning
Succeeded byWilliam Anderson Black (Acting)
Minister of Immigration and Colonization (Acting)
In office
July 13, 1926 – September 24, 1926
Prime MinisterArthur Meighen
Preceded byRobert James Manion (Acting)
Succeeded byRobert Forke
Minister Without Portfolio
In office
July 13, 1926 – September 24, 1926
Prime MinisterArthur Meighen
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Kingston
In office
1919–1921
Preceded byWilliam Nickle
Succeeded byArthur Ross
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for York West
In office
1921–1928
Preceded byTom Wallace
Succeeded byJames Lawson
Personal details
Born(1869-04-27)April 27, 1869
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
DiedAugust 28, 1950(1950-08-28) (aged 81)
Political partyUnionist
Conservative
Progressive Conservative
SpouseEdith Mary Cawthra
Children3
ProfessionLawyer

Sir Henry Lumley Drayton PC KC (April 27, 1869 – August 28, 1950) was a Canadian lawyer and politician.

Early life

Born in Kingston, Ontario, the son of Philip Henry Drayton, who came to Canada with the 16th Rifles of England, and Margaret S. Covernton, Drayton was educated in the schools of England and Canada. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1891 and was created a King's Counsel in 1908.

From 1893 to 1900, Drayton was an Assistant City Solicitor for Toronto. In 1900, he formed a partnership with Charles J. Holman. In 1902, he was appointed Counsel to the Railway Committee of the Ontario Legislature. From 1904 to 1909, he was a County Crown Attorney for the County of York. In 1910, he was appointed Counsel for the Corporation of the City of Toronto. In 1911, he was appointed to the Toronto Power Commission. In 1912, he was appointed Chief Commissioner of the Board of Railway Commissioners for Canada.

Political career

Drayton was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada from Kingston in a 1919 by-election as a Conservative Party candidate. He served as Minister of Finance under both Sir Robert Borden and Arthur Meighen until the Conservative Party's defeat in the 1921 general election. Drayton kept his seat in that election.

In 1927, he was a candidate the leadership of the Conservative Party, but finished in last place. Drayton retired from politics in 1928 to become chairman of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.

He attempted to return to Parliament in the 1945 election from a seat in Victoria, British Columbia, but lost narrowly to the Liberal candidate.

Personal life and death

Drayton married Edith Mary Cawthra and had three daughters. He died on August 28, 1950, at the age of 81.

Electoral history

1945 Canadian federal election: Victoria
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalRobert Mayhew11,80633.32-19.15
Progressive ConservativeHenry Lumley Drayton11,44232.30-2.48
Co-operative CommonwealthMurray D. Bryce10,29529.06+16.38
CommunistGarry Culhane1,0933.09–
Social CreditWilliam Franklin Lougheed7932.24–
Total valid votes 35,429100.0  
Liberal hold Swing -8.34
1926 Canadian federal election: York West
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeHenry Lumley Drayton16,47977.9+2.1
LiberalAlfred Taylour Hunter4,68122.1-2.1
Total valid votes 21,160100.0
1925 Canadian federal election: York West
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeHenry Lumley Drayton23,63775.8+30.6
LiberalAlexander MacGregor7,53624.2-16.7
Total valid votes 31,173100.0
1921 Canadian federal election: York West
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeHenry Lumley Drayton8,85045.3-35.4
LiberalJ.E.L. Streight7,98940.9+21.6
ProgressiveJames Alexander Cameron2,71013.9
Total valid votes 19,549100.0
By-election on 20 October 1919

On William Folger Nickle's resignation, 7 July 1919

Party Candidate Votes
Government (Unionist)Henry Lumley Draytonacclaimed

References

  • "A cyclopædia of Canadian biography". Internet Archive. 1919.
  • Henry Lumley Drayton – Parliament of Canada biography
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