A long-time provincial politician and former Ontario Deputy Premier, was on hand Tuesday as her grandfather’s name was added to the City of Brantford Wall of Recognition.
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Deb Matthews, who represented London North Center at Queen’s Park for 15 years, was at city hall to see the honor bestowed to her late grandfather John H. Matthews. Deb Matthews served under former Ontario premiers Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne, serving as Wynne’s deputy premier.
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“My grandparents lived here and so did my parents before moving to London where I was born,” Matthews said. “My grandfather – John Henry Matthews – worked at The Brantford Expositor for many years at job that doesn’t exist anymore.
“He was part of the union and was the CCF candidate and also served as mayor back in the 1940s.”
John Matthews was a lithographer at The Expositor and once ran for public office as a CCF (Co-operative Commonwealth Federation) candidate. As the story goes, he lost his deposit in that election.
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Born in Gurnsey, Channel Islands, Matthews served as the Ward 2 alderman from 1925 to 1930. He was alderman for a year in 1933 but was not elected to council again until 1942.
Matthews was elected mayor in 1946 and 1947. He died in 1956 and is buried in the Farringdon Burial Ground.
Other historical figures to be added to the city’s Wall of Recognition include: Walter J. Bragg, who represented Ward 4 for 13 years between 1912 and 1948 and served on various committees; John Wedgewood Bowlby, born in Waterford in 1837, Bowlby was elected alderman for East Ward and Ward 4 before serving as mayor in 1907, 1908, 1916 and 1917; Charles H. Hartman was born in Buffalo in 1852. He was elected alderman for Ward 4 in 1903 and represented the ward until 1911. Elected mayor in 1912, he served in that capacity for two years. He returned to council as Alderman for Ward 3 in 1928.
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