35) John R. Joyce: Elected mayor for the City of Welland in 1938 & 1939

Vital statistics

Birth: April 20, 1881 at Bristol, England

Death: July 31, 1968 at Welland, Ontario, Canada (age 87)

Burial place: Sensabaugh Cemetery (Find a Grave)

Parents: William / Anna

Spouse: Margaret Isabella

Children: None

Occupations: Tailor / Merchant

Religion: Anglican

Political affiliation: Conservative

Community affiliations: Welland Progressive Conservative Association / Welland Red Cross / Merritt Masonic Lodge / City Councillor / Warden of Holy Trinity Anglican Church

Profile

John R. Joyce was born on April 20, 1881 at Bristol in England to William and Anna Joyce. He came to Canada when he was twenty in 1901 and settled in Toronto initially; he was the head cutter at the business Tip Top Tailors which was founded by his personal friend David Dunkleman. It was 1908 when he moved to Welland, it seems construction of the Welland Canal brought him here. He started his business by taking orders for made-to-measure suits for canal workmen. Several years later he opened a retail store at 137 East Main St. called John R. Joyce Men’s Wear, and moved to 95 East Main St. in 1930. He later partnered and the store became known as Joyce and Marando, and when John retired in 1956 it became Marando Clothing Store.

The year he moved his store in 1930 was also the first year he was elected to city council. He was a councillor nineteen times between 1930 and 1952. He was mayor for the years 1938 and 1939. In that timespan of 1930 to 1952 he was either councillor or mayor, and there were only three years where he was not represented and those were when he lost mayoral elections in 1936, 1940, and 1947.

The election he did win in 1938 unseated the two-year incumbent Norman Grant Michener. The next year he was acclaimed (unopposed), which was credited to “his successful first year as occupant of the chief magistrate’s chair in Welland. He showed himself attentive and efficient in carrying out his daily duties and invariably represented his city in a creditable manner when he appeared in public. On various occasions he displayed commendable initiative, indicating that his mind works along progressive lines.”

At the end of 1939, when seeking election for a third term, he addressed the final council meeting promoting the work that years council had accomplished. The city’s finances were in a remarkably flourishing state. Only a few years prior the population of Welland was 10,000 and the city owed about $2,500,000. But by the time of his address, with a larger population, the debt had gone down to around $1,000,000.

The 1940 mayoral election saw John face Thomas Harry Lewis, a young and popular councillor. Surprisingly Lewis about doubled John’s vote total, 2,017 to 1,090. Lewis turned out to be extremely popular and would lead Welland through the rest of WWII, winning six mayoral elections. As for John, his defeat was explained in an editorial that “he was seeking a third term when many electors felt that after two years in office he should make way for another aspirant.” But he gave “excellent service as chief magistrate during the past two years. Attentive to his duties, acceptable as a public speaker and displaying good judgment when matters of importance had to be decided, he occupied the position with dignity and fulfilled his obligations faithfully and well.”

In John’s second stint as mayor, Canada entered into WWII. On September 3, 1939 Great Britain declared war on Germany, and Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King also announced Canada's intention to enter the war. Mayor Joyce issued this statement to Welland citizens which appeared in that day’s paper: “The British Empire is at war, Canada, as part of the Empire, will do her duty. We are fighting to end the intolerable tyranny Herr Hitler has tried to impose on the world. We are fighting after exerting every human effort to preserve the liberty and freedom of all peoples, as we understand those principles by the standards of British democracy. Citizens are asked to help by going ahead with their duties and responsibilities in a quiet manner.”

Another of John’s interests was sports, and back in his native England he played soccer and many other sports which he continued after immigrating here. He was a Golden Glove heavyweight champion of Ontario, and held a number of bronze medals for swimming.

He was predeceased by his wife Margaret in 1965 and had no children. He lived at 237 Maple Ave., and passed away July 31, 1968 at the Welland County General Hospital after being ill for a number of years.

Sources

• “Comments On Civic Affairs.” Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, January 4, 1939.
• “Former Mayor, Alderman John R. Joyce Dies At 88.” Evening Tribune, August 1, 1968.
• “Satisfactory Civic Election.” Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, January 2, 1940.
• “Statement By Mayor Joyce.” Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, September 3, 1939.