John Lymburn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Farquhar Lymburn
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office June 28, 1926 – August 22, 1935 Serving with David Duggan (1926–1935) Charles Gibbs (1926–1935) William Atkinson (1930–1935) William R. Howson (1930–1935) Frederick C. Jamieson (1931–1935) Charles Weaver (1926–1930) Warren Prevey (1926–1930)
Preceded by	John Bowen, Jeremiah Heffernan, William Henry, Nellie McClung, Andrew McLennan
Succeeded by	Samuel Barnes, David Duggan, William R. Howson, David Mullen, Charles Gerald O'Connor, George Van Allen
Constituency	Edmonton
Attorney-General of Alberta
In office June 5, 1926 – September 3, 1935
Preceded by	John Edward Brownlee
Succeeded by	John Hugill
Personal details
Born	September 25, 1880 Ayr, Scotland
Died	November 25, 1969 (aged 89) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Political party	United Farmers of Alberta
Spouse	Isabella Marguerite Clark
Children	Marguerite Dormer, Mary Doreen Farquhar, and Constance Clark
Alma mater	University of Glasgow
Occupation	Lawyer

John Farquhar Lymburn (September 25, 1880 – November 25, 1969) was a Canadian politician. He served as the Attorney-General of Alberta from 1926 to 1935. An Attorney-General is like the chief lawyer for the government. They give legal advice and oversee the justice system.

John Lymburn was born and went to school in Scotland. He moved to Canada in 1911 and became a lawyer in Edmonton. In 1925, when John Edward Brownlee became the Premier of Alberta (the leader of the province), he chose Lymburn to be his Attorney-General. Lymburn was then elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1926 election.

As Attorney-General, Lymburn helped with important talks between Alberta and the Canadian federal government. These talks were about who owned the natural resources in Alberta. He also helped prepare Alberta's side for the "Persons case". This was a famous legal case that decided women could be appointed to the Canadian Senate. Lymburn also played a small part in events that led to Premier Brownlee leaving office. In the 1935 election, Lymburn and all other candidates from his party, the United Farmers of Alberta, lost. This happened because William Aberhart and his Social Credit League won by a lot. Lymburn tried to get back into politics in 1942 but didn't win. He passed away in 1969.

Early Life and Education

John Lymburn was born in Ayr, Scotland. His parents were William and Margaret Lymburn. He went to Ayr Grammar School and Ayr Academy. Later, he studied law at Glasgow University. After finishing his studies, he became a qualified lawyer in 1903.

In 1911, John Lymburn moved to Canada and settled in Edmonton. He joined a law firm there. Two years later, he started his own law firm. On July 19, 1912, he married Isabella Marguerite Clark, who was also from Scotland. They had three daughters: Marguerite, Mary, and Constance. In 1926, John Lymburn was given the special title of King's Counsel. This title is given to experienced lawyers.

Serving as Attorney-General

In 1925, John Edward Brownlee became the Premier of Alberta. He was the leader of the United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) party. Most UFA members were farmers, and Brownlee was the only lawyer among them. He needed someone to take his place as Attorney-General. So, he chose John Lymburn, partly because Lymburn wasn't closely linked to any political party in the province.

Usually, cabinet ministers like the Attorney-General need to be elected members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. So, Lymburn ran in the 1926 provincial election in Edmonton. This was new because the UFA party mostly focused on rural areas, not big cities. Lymburn did very well, coming in first among many candidates. He became one of Edmonton's five elected members (MLAs).

As Attorney-General, Lymburn worked on many important projects for the government.

• He was key in getting the rights to natural resources transferred from the federal government to the Alberta government. This meant Alberta could control its own oil, gas, and other resources.
• During the Great Depression, a time of great economic hardship, he helped the government manage challenges and social unrest.
• He also helped Alberta become the only province to support the "Persons case". This case was about whether women could be appointed to the Canadian Senate. Alberta's support helped lead to women being recognized as "persons" under the law.

After Premier Brownlee resigned, Lymburn continued as Attorney-General for a short time under the next Premier, Richard Gavin Reid. During this time, many people were interested in new economic ideas, especially "social credit" ideas from William Aberhart. The government believed that Aberhart's plans were not allowed under Canadian law because they involved banking, which was a federal responsibility. As Attorney-General, Lymburn helped explain this position.

Life After Politics

In the 1935 provincial election, the United Farmers of Alberta party lost almost all its seats to Aberhart's Social Credit League. John Lymburn also lost his seat. Even though he lost, he came closer to winning than any other UFA candidate in the city of Edmonton.

After leaving politics, Lymburn stayed active in his community.

• He was an elder at Edmonton's First Presbyterian Church.
• He chaired the Advisory Board of the Students' Christian Movement.
• He was chairman of the Board of Directors for the Beulah Home, which helped unmarried mothers.
• He was president of the Edmonton Scottish Society.
• He was also a long-time member of the Mayfair Golf and Country Club.

Lymburn loved the poetry of Robbie Burns, who was also from Ayrshire, Scotland. He could recite Burns' poems in Gaelic and often spoke at Burns suppers, which celebrate the poet.

In 1942, Lymburn tried to get back into the legislature in a special election (called a by-election) in Edmonton. He finished third out of five candidates.

John Lymburn's wife, Marguerite, passed away in 1958. John Lymburn himself died eleven years later, on November 25, 1969, at the age of 89.

Images for kids

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  John Farquhar Lymburn