1885 Newfoundland general election

Election in the Colony of Newfoundland September 2023 1885 Newfoundland general election Colony of Newfoundland Flag of Newfoundland (1870–1904).svg parliamentary no no 1882 Newfoundland general election 1882 Outgoing members October 31, 1885 Elected members 1889 Newfoundland general election 1889 36 seats of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly 19 x160px 000077 Robert Thorburn 1885 Reform Trinity Bay"NotIncumbent" Not the incumbent, but ran in this district and won. 5"New" As the New Party 21 16 12,213 39.78% 11.17% Ambrose Shea.jpg 250 125 160 50 65 center E62020 Ambrose Shea 1885 Liberal St. John's East"NotIncumbent" 26"Whiteway" As the Conservative Party, a denominationally unified front led by William Whiteway 13 13 11,983 39.03% 26.49% Premier Robert Thorburn Reform Robert Thorburn Premier after election Reform No The 1885 Newfoundland general election was held on October 31, 1885 to elect members of the 15th General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Newfoundland Colony. The denominationally unified Whiteway government had fallen as supporters of the Orange Order abandoned him following the Harbour Grace Affray. Members of the opposition New Party aligned themselves with Protestant members of Whiteway's administration to create the Reform Party. Led by Robert Thorburn, a former member of the Legislative Council, the Reform Party ran on a platform of "Protestant rights." The Roman Catholic caucus within Whiteway's administration formed the Liberal led by Ambrose Shea, who had also turned against the Whiteway government. Many candidates who continued to support Whiteway ran as independents, which provided the opposition in some of the most denominationally skewed districts. Thorburn's new party swept to power, but it soon turned away from its sectarian agenda by inviting Catholic Liberals into the Executive Council. Results  Party Leader 1882CandidatesSeats wonSeat change% of seats(% change)Popular vote % of vote(% change) NL Reform rowReformRobert Thorburn5"New"22211658.33%(43.18%)12,21339.78%(11.17%) NL Liberal (historical) rowLiberalAmbrose Shea26"Whiteway"14131336.11%(42.68%)11,98339.03%(26.49%) NL Independent rowOther21425.56%(0.50%)6,50621.19%(15.32%)Totals335036 3100%30,702100% Results by district Names in boldface type represent party leaders. † indicates that the incumbent did not run again. ‡ indicates that the incumbent ran in a different district. St. John's NL Liberal (historical) Other |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|St. John's East |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Robert Kent1,73828.70% | |Robert Parsons Jr. (Independent)63510.49% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Robert Kent |- |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Ambrose Shea1,71128.26% | |John Dearin (Independent)4377.22% |NL Independent background| |John Dearin |- |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Michael O'Mara1,49824.74% | |Thomas Mitchell (Independent)Sir Ambrose's Election: An Analysis of the Resolution https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/telegram18/id/34272/rec/1 31 May 2025 Evening Telegram 7 October 1885To the Electors of St. John's East https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/telegram18/id/34362/rec/3 31 May 2025 Evening Telegram 28 October 1885360.59% |NL Independent background| |Robert Parsons Jr. |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|St. John's West |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Patrick Scott1,25026.44% |rowspan=3 NL Independent background| |rowspan=3|Edward Morris (Independent)Editorial Notes https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/telegram18/id/34257/rec/1 31 May 2025 Evening Telegram 3 October 18851,65134.92% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Patrick Scott |- |NL Liberal (historical) background| |James Callanan1,01321.43% |NL Independent background| |Philip White† |- | |James FurlongTo the Free and Independent Electors of St. John's West https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/telegram18/id/34226/rec/4 31 May 2025 Evening Telegram 26 September 188981417.22% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |James Callanan |} Conception Bay NL Reform Liberal (historical) Other |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Bay de Verde |NL Reform background| |Stephen March85040.81% | | | |Levi Garland (Independent)35016.80% |NL Independent background| |Levi Garland |- |NL Reform background| |A. J. W. McNeilly76536.73% | | | |Beverly Somerville (Independent)From Western Bay https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/telegram18/id/34357/rec/1 31 May 2025 Evening Telegram 27 October 18851185.66% |NL Vacant background| |New seat |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Carbonear |NL Reform background| |Alfred PenneyWon by acclamation | | | | |NL Reform background| |Alfred Penney |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Harbour Grace |NL Reform background| |James Winter1,18331.33% | | | |Joseph Russell (Independent)Politics in Harbor Grace: A Strong Opposition to Mr. James S. Winter https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/telegram18/id/34342/rec/4 31 May 2025 Evening Telegram 23 October 18852767.31% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Ambrose Shea‡(ran in St. John's East) |- |NL Reform background| |Charles Dawe1,07728.52% | | |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|William ButtLatest from Harbor Grace https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/eveherald/id/71007/rec/1 31 May 2025 Evening Mercury 26 October 1885 (Independent)2326.14% |NL Reform background| |Charles Dawe |- |NL Reform background| |Joseph Godden1,00826.69% | | |NL Vacant background| |New seat |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Harbour Main | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |John Veitch71142.91% |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Thomas Murphy (Independent)Editorial Notes https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/telegram18/id/34362/rec/4 31 May 2025 Evening Telegram 28 October 188529117.56% |NL Vacant background| |VacantJoseph Little had been elected in 1882, but he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1883. |- | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Richard MacDonnell65539.53% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Richard MacDonnell |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Port de Grave |NL Reform background| |George HutchingsWon by acclamation | | | | |NL Independent background| |John Bartlett† |} Avalon Peninsula NL Reform Liberal (historical) |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Ferryland | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Daniel GreeneWon by acclamation |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Daniel Greene |- | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |George SheaWon by acclamation |NL Reform background| |Augustus Goodridge‡(ran in Twillingate) |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Placentia and St. Mary's |rowspan=3| |rowspan=3|William Siteman50416.27% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |James McGrath94030.35% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |William Donnelly |- |NL Liberal (historical) background| |William Donnelly92229.77% |NL Reform background| |Albert Bradshaw‡(ran in St. Barbe) |- |NL Liberal (historical) background| |George Emerson73123.60% |NL Independent background| |Michael Tobin† |} Eastern Newfoundland NL Reform Other |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Bonavista Bay |NL Reform background| |James Noonan1,06423.88% | |George Skelton (Independent)77017.28% |NL Reform background| |James Noonan |- |NL Reform background| |Abram Kean95721.48% |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Alfred Morine (Independent)72416.25% |NL Independent background| |George Skelton |- |NL Reform background| |Frederick White94121.12% |NL Independent background| |Francis Winton† |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Trinity Bay |NL Reform background| |Robert ThorburnWon by acclamation | | |NL Independent background| |William Whiteway† |- |NL Reform background| |Walter GrieveWon by acclamation | | |NL Independent background| |Joseph Boyd† |- |NL Reform background| |Ellis WatsonWon by acclamation | | |NL Independent background| |Robert Bond‡(ran in Fortune Bay) |- |} Central Newfoundland NL Reform Other |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Fogo |NL Reform background| |James RollsWon by acclamation | | |NL Vacant background| |New district |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Twillingate |NL Reform background| |Augustus Goodridge1,09532.78% |rowspan=3| |rowspan=3|Jabez Thompson (Independent)57717.28% |NL Reform background| |Smith McKayTwillingate and Fogo |- |NL Reform background| |Smith McKay1,05831.68% |NL Reform background| |Richard Rice†Twillingate and Fogo |- |NL Reform background| |Michael Knight61018.26% |NL Independent background| |Jabez ThompsonTwillingate and Fogo |} Southern and Western Newfoundland NL Reform Liberal (historical) Other |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Burgeo and LaPoile |NL Reform background| |Alexander MackayWon by acclamation | | | | |NL Reform background| |Alexander Mackay |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Burin |NL Reform background| |John Peters57438.01% | | |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|J. Brien (Independent)Editorial Notes https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/telegram18/id/34372/rec/6 31 May 2025 Evening Telegram 30 October 188540927.09% |NL Reform background| |James Winter‡(ran in Harbour Grace) |- |NL Reform background| |Henry LeMessurier52734.90% | | |NL Reform background| |John Peters |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Fortune Bay | | | | |NL Independent background| |Robert Bond (Independent)Won by acclamation |NL Independent background| |James Fraser† |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. Barbe |NL Reform background| |Albert BradshawWon by acclamation | | | | |NL Vacant background| |VacantJohn Boone had been elected in 1882, but he had died while in office on November 16, 1884.White Bay |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. George's | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Michael CartyWon by acclamation | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Michael Carty |- |} Notes References Further reading Riggs Bert 1981 General Election #15: October 31, 1889 https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/cns_enl/id/88 Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, volume 1 St. John's Harry Cuff Publications Ltd. 29 May 2025 1885 Category:1885 elections in North America Category:Pre-Confederation Newfoundland Category:1880s in Newfoundland Category:1885 in North America Category:1885 in the British Empire Category:October 1885 in North America