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1890 – 1967

Senate — M.P. — M.L.A.

Royal
Kings County

Born, Nov 14, 1890, at Gagetown, N.B. Of English-Irish ancestry. Son of Alfred Brooks, Esq. and his wife, Margaret a. Kelly (D. June 6, 1938), both residents of that place.

Educated at the Gagetown Public School; the Provincial Normal School; and the Univ. of N.B., graduating B.A. Taught school for a number of years, and was Inspector of Schools for N.B., 1919 – 1922. Studied Law, graduating with the degree of B.C.L. Admitted to the Bar of N.B. as Attorney, Nov 12, 1924, and as Barrister, November 1925.

Located at Sussex, Kings Co., N.B. and engaged in the practice of his profession. Took an active interest in Military Affairs, and served overseas in the First Great War as a Major in the 26th Batt., C.E.F. Lt-Col Commanding N.B. Rangers, 1926 – 1930. Officer Commanding 16th Infantry Brigade, 1930 – 1933. In the Second World War, he was Officer Commanding No 70, CABTO, Fredericton, N.B., 1940 – 1943; Officer Commanding Transit Camp, Windsor, N.S. 1943 – 1944, and was Overseas on two occasions. Organiser of N.B. Conservative Party, 1922 – 1925.

Married, Aug 1st, 1923, to Miss Edith Lipsett, daughter of John Lipsett, Esq., Centreville, N.B. Family of two sons.

Unsuccessfully contested Kings Co. for the House of Assembly, at a Bye-election held June 17, 1922, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the sitting member, George B. Johns, Esq. (q.v.)

First elected to the House of Assembly, as one of the members for Kings Co., at the Ge. of Aug 10th, 1925. Re-elected at the G.E. of June 19, 1930, and sat until the dissolution of Parliament in 1935. At the G.E. of June 27th, 1935, he was defeated. He was Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, 1930 – 1935.

First elected to the House of Commons, as member for Royal, at the G.E. of Oct 14, 1935. Re-elected at the G.E.’s of 1940, 1945, 1949, 1953, 1957, and 1958, and sat as member until Sept 12, 1960, when he resigned his seat on being appointed to the Senate of Canada.

On June 21, 1957, he was sworn into the Privy Council of Canada, and was appointed Minister of Veteran Affairs in the Diefenbaker Administration. He held this appointment until his resignation.

On Sept 12, 1960, he was appointed to the Senate of Canada, and sat as member of that House until November, 1967, when he resigned his seat due to ill-health. For many years he was Conservative Leader in the Senate.

He died, December 7th, 1967, in the Saint John General Hospital, aged seventy-seven years. buried in Kirk Hall Cemetery, Sussex, N.B. Survived by his widow and two sons.

In Politics: a Conservative.
In Religion: United Church of Canada

MC1156 – Graves Papers