Origins & Early Life

Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett (July 3, 1870 – June 26, 1947) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as the 11th prime minister of Canada from 1930 to 1935. Bennett was born in Hopewell Hill, New Brunswick, and grew up nearby in Hopewell Cape. He studied law at Dalhousie University, graduating in 1893, and in 1897 moved to Calgary to establish a law firm in partnership with James Lougheed. Bennett became very rich due to the law practice, various investments, and taking on leadership roles in multiple organizations; he was one of the wealthiest Canadians during his time.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

On the political side, Bennett served in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1898 until 1905, when he briefly held the post as the inaugural leader of the Alberta Conservative Party. He later served in the Alberta Legislature from 1909 to 1911, resigning upon his election to the House of Commons. Bennett declined to run for reelection in 1917 but briefly served as minister of justice under Arthur Meighen in 1921. He returned to the Commons in 1925 and served briefly as minister of finance in Meighen's second government in 1926. Meighen resigned...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexandre Dumas — Contemporary (Died in 1870) (1870): Master of French adventure literature, famed for The Three Musketeers.
• Amadeo Giannini — Contemporary (Born in 1870) (1870): Pioneering American banker who founded the Bank of Italy and influenced modern finance.
• Charles Dickens — Contemporary (Died in 1870) (1870): Master of Victorian literature, Dickens's novels captured the spirit of his age.
• Al Capone — Contemporary (Died in 1947) (1947): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Alan Guth — Contemporary (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering cosmologist known for developing the theory of cosmic inflation.
• Alan Sugar — Contemporary (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering British entrepreneur, founder of Amstrad, and TV personality.
• Audra McDonald — Shared historical date (07-03 · Born) (1970): Award-winning American actress and singer celebrated for Broadway mastery.
• Delia Derbyshire — Shared historical date (07-03 · Died) (2001): Pioneering composer of electronic music, famed for her work at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
• Ahmad Sirhindi — Shared historical date (06-26 · Born) (1564): Influential Naqshbandi Sufi scholar who championed Islamic orthodoxy in the Mughal era.
• Antoine de Rivarol — Shared historical date (06-26 · Born) (1753): French royalist writer and translator active during the tumultuous Revolutionary era.
• 1870 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1870
• July 3 (07-03) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 3
• 1947 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1947
• June 26 (06-26) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 26