Cheeseman, John T.

John T. Cheeseman (1891-1968), businessman, politician and civil servant, was born in Port au Bras, Burin, Newfoundland on 9 August 1891, son of Lawrence Cheeseman. He married Mona Ludlow; they had two sons. Cheeseman died on 22 February 1968.

Cheeseman was educated at Bishop Field College, St. John's and he was employed with his father's fisheries business in the Burin area (1909-23). Circa 1923, he accepted the position of manager of the Burin Import and Export Company. By 1930, he had started the firm Cheeseman Ltd and in 1942 established West Atlantic Products Ltd.

A candidate supporting Richard Squires in the 1919 election, Cheeseman was elected to the House of Assembly (MHA) for Burin (1919-23). He was defeated in the following general election. In 1933, Cheeseman was appointed Chief Inspector of Fisheries, and, in 1934, he became the Chief Fisheries Officer. Cheeseman was named to the Newfoundland Fisheries Board (NFB) in 1936.

In 1956 Cheeseman was elected MHA for Burgeo and LaPoile (1956-63) and for Hermitage (1962-66). He was appointed Minister of Fisheries and Cooperatives (1956-63) in the Smallwood administration, serving as chairman of the Newfoundland South Coast Commission. In an effort to lessen his duties owing to ill-health, Cheeseman was reassigned to the Ministry of Provincial Affairs in 1963 and he finally retired from the House of Assembly in 1966. He died two years later.

Cheeseman was active in the Society of United Fishermen (SUF) and held the post of Grand Master.

Created - May 9, 2013

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