Outerbridge, Sir Leonard (Leonard Cecil)

Leonard Cecil Outerbridge (1888-1986), Newfoundland businessman and lieutenant-governor, was born at Ashville, North Carolina, on 6 May 1888, son of Maria Harvey (Tucker) and Joseph Outerbridge, businessman and Vice President of the Patriotic Association of Newfoundland. He married Dorothy Winifred Strathy, and they had one daughter, Nancy Diana (Winter). Outerbridge died on 6 September 1986.

Outerbridge was educated at Bishop Feild College, St. John's, Marlborough College, England, and the University of Toronto, where he obtained his LL.B. After serving in the Canadian Army (rank of major) in World War I, Outerbridge practiced law in Toronto before returning to St. John's to manage Harvey and Company with his brother, Herbert. Over the next several decades, Outerbridge was involved with the Harvey Group of Companies in various capacities: Vice President, Director, President, and Chairman. He was President of the Newfoundland Board of Trade (1923-24); Chairman, Newfoundland Committee of the British Empire Exhibition (1925) Director, Bank of Montreal; Board of Directors, Bishop Feild College (1920-24), and Bishop Spencer College (1921-46).

In addition to his business activities, Outerbridge served as honourary private secretary to Newfoundland governors from 1930 to 1944. In 1941, Outerbridge, with lawyer Charles Hunt, publicly supported the Anglo-American Leased Bases Agreement, which authorized the United States to establish military bases in Newfoundland. He volunteered as full-time director of Civil Defence in World War II, and supervised the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) team in St. John's. He supported confederation in the second referendum in 1948. In 1949, he succeeded Albert B. Walsh as the second lieutenant-governor of Newfoundland; his term ended in 1957.

Outerbridge was also active in the Anglican church: he served as Rectors Warden at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist from 1923 to 1941, and again from 1944 to 1948; he was involved with church committees; and he was on the Executive Committee of the Anglican Diocese of Newfoundland from 1920 to 1969.

Outerbridge was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (1918) and Companion of the British Empire (1926); knighted (1946); appointed Honourary Colonel of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment (1950) and Knight of Grace, Order of St. John of Jerusalem (1951); made a Companion of the Order of Canada (1967); received a Special Services Award, Canadian Institute of the Blind, for his service as director from 1959-75 (1985); and appointed Companion of the Order of the Red Cross (1985).

Created - April 25, 2013

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