1956:

After close to 25 years of public service, politician and philanthropist “Friendly” Fred Hume is elected to his fourth term as Vancouver’s mayor, marking the first time a chief magistrate has been elected by acclamation since 1921.

“Mayor Hume was high in praise of Mrs. Hume for the help and support she has given him throughout the years,” reports the Vancouver Province. “He was elected by acclamation at City Hall at noon today when nominations closed with no other candidates for mayor.”

“I didn’t know I had so many friends,” Hume beams, as he is renamed to his post by city clerk Ronald Thompson. “Actually, I had seriously thought this year of dropping out, but so many of my friends urged me to carry on and I was flattered by this and felt I would like to continue if I could for the next two years.”

Hume - who, curiously, lives in West Vancouver, has also served as mayor of New Westminster, and, in his fourth and final term in office, will continue to take a token annual salary of one dollar per year - giving the remainder to charity.

Hume is also the owner of the WHL Vancouver Canucks, and, in the years to come, will be a driving force behind Vancouver being granted an NHL Franchise. Although he has occasionally supported questionable proposals (such as doing away with the Burrard Street Bridge, and instead filling False Creek with concrete - an idea that persisted into the 1960s), Hume is often concerned with issues far ahead of his time, such as smog, litter, and low-rent housing, and will serve as an advocate for changes to the provincial sales tax.

His funeral in 1967 will be attended by more than 2000 people, and, when the Vancouver Canucks create an award for the team’s unsung heroes, it will be named in Hume’s honour.

 

IMAGE: Mayor Fred Hume reading to a child, circa 1951. Image Courtesy of the Vancouver Public Library.