Fletcher Stewart Thomas
| Tommy Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Ontario MPP | |
|
In office June 4, 1945 – November 9, 1957 |
|
| Preceded by | Mitchell Hepburn |
| Succeeded by | Ron McNeil |
| Constituency | Elgin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 7, 1897 Toronto Township, Ontario |
| Died | November 9, 1957 (aged 60) St Thomas, Ontario |
| Resting place | Elmdale Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Citizenship | Canadian |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Myrtle Symes |
| Children | Patricia, Carolyn, Shirley and Robert |
| Alma mater | Ontario Agricultural College |
| Occupation | Agricultural agent |
| Religion | Anglican |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Canadian |
| Service/branch | Canadian Field Artillery |
| Years of service | 1916–1919 |
| Rank | Gunner |
| Unit | 56th Battery |
| Battles/wars | World War I, North Russia Intervention |
Fletcher Stewart Pickering "Tommy" Thomas (June 7, 1897 – November 9, 1957) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1945 to 1957 who represented the central Ontario riding of Elgin. He served as a cabinet minister under Leslie Frost, holding two successive positions between 1951 and 1956.
Born in 1897 in Toronto Township, Ontario to Joseph P. Thomas and Maggie Stewart, Thomas and his mother moved to Streetsville nine years later following the death of his father.
In 1915, he enrolled at the Ontario Agricultural College, but put his studies on hold in 1916 to enlist as a gunner in the Canadian Field Artillery. He served in France and was also one of the "Polar Bears" in the North Russia Intervention before being discharged in 1919.
Returning to OAC, he graduated in 1922 and became an agricultural agent working in Grey County, Port Arthur and Elgin County (serving in the last area for 19 years). He became a farmer in Elgin County in 1935, specializing in tobacco and apples. In 1940, he was instrumental in organizing the first International Plowing Match to be held there.
He died in 1957. He is buried in Elmdale Memorial Park Cemetery.
In the 1945 Ontario election, Thomas ran as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the riding of Elgin, defeating Mitchell Hepburn. Modest in victory, he said in his acceptance speech, "I am no wonder boy, and I repeat, I don't crave publicity. My ambition now is to be a good member for Elgin and to spend the rest of my time looking after my farm."
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