Shea, Sir Ambrose National Historic Person
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Sir Ambrose Shea, 1885
© Wm. Notman & Son / Musée McCord Museum / II-77257.1
Address :
100 Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1959-05-25
Life Date:
1815 to 1905
Other Name(s):
-
Shea, Sir Ambrose
(Designation Name)
Importance:
Father of Confederation, Speaker of the Newfoundland House (1885-87)
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: Confederation Building 100 Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Born in St. John's, Shea served as a member of the Newfoundland House of Assembly almost continuously from 1848 unitl 1882. He was an advocate of union with the other colonies of British North America and was a delegate to the Québec Conference in 1864. The following year he joined the executive of a pro-confederation coalition which was defeated in 1869 by a strong anti-union campaign. He continued to serve the colony by promoting fisheries and agriculture and was made Speaker of the House in 1885. Knighted in 1883, he was governor of the Bahamas from 1887 unitl 1895, and died in England.