Andrew Carnell
Encyclopedia
Andrew Greene Carnell was born in St. John's
, Newfoundland
. He received his early education at Bishop Feild College
and the Methodist College before going into his father's business as an undertaker. He married Mabel Payne in 1904. They would have two sons and four daughters.
After several failed attempts in colonial politics, he decided to enter municipal politics. In the municipal elections of 1929 for St. John's, he was elected Deputy Mayor. After the sitting mayor, Charles Howlett, died in 1932, Carnell became Acting Mayor until he was elected to the post officially by acclamation the following year. He would be reelected to the position continuously until 1949. Carnell's term spanned the time under which Newfoundland was a Crown colony
of the United Kingdom
after the Dominion
government had gone bankrupt and collapsed. To many Newfoundlanders, the mayor was the voice of the people as the highest ranking official on the island that had been elected. To the colonial government, however, the city council was an inefficient nuisance.
Throughout his term, Carnell's administration would continue to provide relatively stable and solvent government to St. John's, leading the way in debt relief, improving the standard and affordability of housing in the city and beginning construction on Memorial Stadium
, which would be finished in 1955. The 'LaGuardia of St. John's' would be defeated by his Deputy Mayor, Harry Mews
, in the 1949 election.
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. He received his early education at Bishop Feild College
Bishop Feild College
Bishop Feild College , founded in 1844, is a school in St. John's, Newfoundland...
and the Methodist College before going into his father's business as an undertaker. He married Mabel Payne in 1904. They would have two sons and four daughters.
After several failed attempts in colonial politics, he decided to enter municipal politics. In the municipal elections of 1929 for St. John's, he was elected Deputy Mayor. After the sitting mayor, Charles Howlett, died in 1932, Carnell became Acting Mayor until he was elected to the post officially by acclamation the following year. He would be reelected to the position continuously until 1949. Carnell's term spanned the time under which Newfoundland was a Crown colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
after the Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
government had gone bankrupt and collapsed. To many Newfoundlanders, the mayor was the voice of the people as the highest ranking official on the island that had been elected. To the colonial government, however, the city council was an inefficient nuisance.
Throughout his term, Carnell's administration would continue to provide relatively stable and solvent government to St. John's, leading the way in debt relief, improving the standard and affordability of housing in the city and beginning construction on Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (St. John's)
The Memorial Stadium was a 4,000-seat multi-purpose arena, in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. St. John's previous indoor arena, Prince's Rink, burned down in 1941, but the demands of the Second World War prevented the city from replacing it until well after the war ended...
, which would be finished in 1955. The 'LaGuardia of St. John's' would be defeated by his Deputy Mayor, Harry Mews
Harry Mews
Henry George Reginald Mews was the eighth mayor of St. John's, Newfoundland and a political leader in the province....
, in the 1949 election.