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Charles Vincent Massey (February 20, 1887December 30, 1967) was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as
Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, t ...
, the
18th 18 (eighteen) is the natural number following 17 and preceding 19. In mathematics * Eighteen is a composite number, its divisors being 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9. Three of these divisors (3, 6 and 9) add up to 18, hence 18 is a semiperfect number. ...
since
Confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a union of sovereign groups or states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...
. Massey was the first governor general of Canada who was born in Canada after Confederation. Massey was born into an influential
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
family and was educated in
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
and England, obtaining a degree in law and befriending future prime minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian statesman and politician who served as the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A Li ...
while studying at the
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
. He was commissioned into the military in 1917 for the remainder of the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and, after a brief stint in the
Canadian Cabinet The Cabinet of Canada (french: Cabinet du Canada) is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada. Chaired by the prime minister, the ...
, began his diplomatic career, serving in envoys to the United States and United Kingdom. Upon his return to Canada in 1946, Massey headed a royal commission on the arts between 1949 and 1951, which resulted in the Massey Report and subsequently the establishment of the
National Library of Canada Library and Archives Canada (LAC; french: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is the federal institution, tasked with acquiring, preserving, and providing accessibility to the documentary heritage of Canada. The national archive and library is t ...
and the
Canada Council of the Arts Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by total ...
, among other grant-giving agencies. In 1952 he was appointed Governor General by
King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...
on the recommendation of
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Louis St. Laurent, to replace the Viscount Alexander of Tunis as
viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
, and he occupied the post until succeeded by
Georges Vanier Georges-Philias Vanier (23 April 1888 – 5 March 1967) was a Canadian military officer and diplomat who served as governor general of Canada, the first Quebecer and second Canadian-born person to hold the position. Vanier was born and ...
in 1959. On September 16, 1925, Massey was sworn into the
King's Privy Council for Canada The 's Privy Council for Canada (french: Conseil privé du Roi pour le Canada),) during the reign of a queen. sometimes called Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council (PC), is the full group of personal consultants to the ...
, giving him the accordant style of ''
The Honourable ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain ...
''. However, Massey was later, as a former Governor General of Canada, entitled to be styled for life with the superior form of ''
The Right Honourable ''The Right Honourable'' ( abbreviation: ''Rt Hon.'' or variations) is an honorific style traditionally applied to certain persons and collective bodies in the United Kingdom, the former British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations. The term is ...
''. He subsequently continued his philanthropic work and founded
Massey College Massey College is a graduate residential college at the University of Toronto that was established, built and partially endowed in 1962 by the Massey Foundation and officially opened in 1963, though women were not admitted until 1974. It was mo ...
at the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
and the
Massey Lectures The Massey Lectures is an annual five-part series of lectures given in Canada by distinguished writers, thinkers and scholars who explore important ideas and issues of contemporary interest. Created in 1961 in honour of Vincent Massey, the former ...
before he died on December 30, 1967.


Early life, education, and career

Massey was born in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Ontario, to Anna (née Vincent) and Chester Daniel Massey, the owner of the Massey-Harris Co. (predecessor to
Massey Ferguson Massey Ferguson Limited is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company was established in 1953 through the merger of farm equipment makers Massey-Harris of Canada and the Ferguson Company of the United Kingdom. It was based in T ...
) and the patriarch of one of the city's wealthiest families. His brother was Canadian-American actor
Raymond Massey Raymond Hart Massey (August 30, 1896 – July 29, 1983) was a Canadian actor, known for his commanding, stage-trained voice. For his lead role in '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940), Massey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Amo ...
. The
Massey family The Massey family is a Canadian Methodist family that has been prominent since the mid-19th century, known for manufacturing farm equipment and for being patrons of the arts in Canada. Their company, Massey Ferguson, built the family its fortu ...
, of British origin, had immigrated from
Cheshire, England Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county town ...
to the
Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around the Massachusetts Bay, the northernmost of the several colonies later reorganized as the ...
in 1630. The clan was strongly
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
and played an important role in supporting local religious, cultural, and educational organizations, including Victoria University,
Massey Hall Massey Hall is a performing arts theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1894, it is known for its outstanding acoustics and was the long-time hall of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. An intimate theatre, it was originally designed to seat ...
, and the Metropolitan Methodist Church (now the ''Metropolitan United Church''). Massey was thus raised among Toronto's elite, which gave him a number of social and familial connections throughout his life. However, despite their status as one of Toronto's richest families, the Methodist Masseys were not considered to be one of the FOOFs (Fine Old Ontario Families), the slightly disparaging term used to describe the clique of wealthy Anglican families of English and Loyalist descent who dominated the social life of Toronto from the late 18th century well into the 20th century. To compensate for their parvenus status, Massey together with other members of his family were much given to philanthropy. Massey was raised in the family mansion at 519
Jarvis Street Jarvis Street is a north-south thoroughfare in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, passing through some of the oldest developed areas in the city. Its alignment extends from Queens Quay East in the south to Bloor Street in the north. The segment s ...
and educated at St. Andrew's College from 1902 to 1906, then at
University College In a number of countries, a university college is a college institution that provides tertiary education but does not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university. The precise usage varies ...
at the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
, despite his family's close ties to Victoria College. At the University of Toronto, he enlisted in
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada ("In peace prepared") , colours = None (Rifle regiments have no colours) , march = , mascot = , battle_honours = See #Battle honours , website ...
in 1907 and joined the
Kappa Alpha Society The Kappa Alpha Society (), founded in 1825, was the progenitor of the modern fraternity system in North America. It is considered to be the oldest national, secret, Greek-letter social fraternity and was the first of the fraternities which would ...
, through which he met future prime minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian statesman and politician who served as the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A Li ...
, who would be his long-time friend. After passing matriculation three years later with his Bachelor of Arts degree in history and English, Massey continued his education at
Balliol College Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the f ...
at the
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
, where he earned his
Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
in history. In 1911, thinking that the University of Toronto lacked a facility where its 4,000 students could engage in extracurricular activities, Massey donated $16,290 to the students' fund to build a student centre and thereafter led the endowment and construction efforts. In 1913, he returned to Toronto and became the first Dean of Men at
Burwash Hall Burwash Hall refers to both Burwash Dining Hall and Burwash Hall proper, the second oldest of the residence buildings at Victoria University in Toronto, Canada. Construction began in 1911 and was completed in 1913. It was named after Nathanael Bu ...
, the residence recently donated to Victoria University by his father. He also served as a lecturer on modern history at the college. When Canada entered the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
in 1914, Massey was commissioned as an officer for Military District No. 2 and was called to work for the
Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
war committee. On June 4, 1915, Massey married Alice Parkin, the daughter of Sir
George Robert Parkin Sir George Robert Parkin (February 8, 1846 – June 25, 1922) was a Canadians, Canadian educator, imperialist, and author. Life and career Born at Parkindale, New Brunswick, Parkindale near Salisbury, New Brunswick, he was a graduate from ...
, who was a former principal of
Upper Canada College Upper Canada College (UCC) is an elite, all-boys, private school in Toronto, Ontario, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The college is widely described as the country's most prestigious preparatory school, and has produce ...
(UCC) and secretary of the
Rhodes Trust Rhodes House is a building part of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on South Parks Road in central Oxford, and was built in memory of Cecil Rhodes, an alumnus of the university and a major benefactor. It is listed Grade II* ...
; through the marriage, Massey later became the uncle of George Grant and the great-uncle of
Michael Ignatieff Michael Grant Ignatieff (; born May 12, 1947) is a Canadian author, academic and former politician who served as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011. Known for his work as a histo ...
. Within a few years, Vincent and Alice had two sons, Lionel Massey (1916–1965) and Hart Parkin Vincent Massey II (1918–1996; a
WWII World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Griff ...
pilot who flew with
John Gillespie Magee John Gillespie Magee Jr. (9 June 1922 – 11 December 1941) was a World War II Anglo-American Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot and war poet, most noted for penning the sonnet " High Flight". He was killed in an accidental mid-air collis ...
, author of "
High Flight ''High Flight'' is a 1941 sonnet written by war poet John Gillespie Magee Jr. and inspired by his experiences as a fighter pilot of the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War II. Magee began writing the poem on 18 August, while stationed at List ...
"). Massey was discharged at the cessation of hostilities in 1918. In 1921, Massey became president of his father's business, Massey-Harris Co. He also pursued philanthropic interests, mostly in arts and education, such as his collection of paintings and sculpture through his
Massey Foundation The Massey Foundation was incorporated in 1918. It is responsible for the construction of many Toronto landmarks. It was the first trust of its kind in Canada. History In 1896, Hart Massey, an industrialist who built the Massey-Harris farm equi ...
, which he established in 1918. By the next year, University of Toronto's social and athletic facility was completed and dedicated to the memory of Massey's grandfather,
Hart Massey Hart Almerrin Massey (April 29, 1823 – February 20, 1896) was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist who was a member of the prominent Massey family. He was an industrialist who built the agricultural equipment firm that became Massey Fer ...
, as Hart House; there, Massey participated as an amateur actor and director in the building's theatre.


Political career

In 1925, finding himself unsuited to corporate life, he resigned from Massey-Harris. Later that year, on September 16, he was appointed to the King's Privy Council by Governor General
the Viscount Byng of Vimy Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy, (11 September 1862 – 6 June 1935) was a British Army officer who served as Governor General of Canada, the 12th since the Canadian Confederation. Known to friends as "Bu ...
, and was also made a
minister without portfolio A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister who does not head a particular ministry. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet w ...
in Mackenzie King's Cabinet. He ran for the House of Commons in the riding of
Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county * Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...
in the 1925 federal election, but was defeated Though he thereafter resigned his cabinet post, Massey was still included in the Canadian delegation to the
1926 Imperial Conference The 1926 Imperial Conference was the fifth Imperial Conference bringing together the prime ministers of the Dominions of the British Empire. It was held in London from 19 October to 22 November 1926. The conference was notable for producing the ...
, where was drafted the
Balfour Declaration The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during the First World War announcing its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, then an Ottoman regio ...
that would ultimately lead to vast constitutional changes in the role of the monarch and his viceroys throughout the former empire. In 1932, Massey became the first president of the newly formed National Liberal Federation of Canada, before which the Liberal Party was a loose and informal association of national, provincial, and regional entities without a permanent central organization. In the 1935 federal election, the Liberals returned to office with a majority and Mackenzie King was once again prime minister. Massey managed the Liberal campaign in the 1935 election. In his last year in office, Bennett had swung sharply to the left, passing a set of bills known as "Bennett's New Deal" that were modelled after the New Deal in the United States that sought to increase state involvement in the Canadian economy. In the 1935 election, to make up for Mackenzie King's lack of charisma who was additionally a poor speaker and whose views on the issues were inscrutable, Massey sought to portray Mackenzie King as a steady, competent, experienced leader who could best manage the Great Depression. Massey coined the election slogan "It's either King or Chaos!", portraying Bennett as an erratic leader whose judgement could not be trusted, unlike Mackenzie King. Massey would had preferred to return to politics, not the least because he thought he would make a better prime minister than Mackenzie King, whose muddled politics Massey privately held in contempt, but he accepted a diplomatic career as a consolation prize. Massey believed that Canada was a British nation located in North America that also had a French infusion and that the essence of being a Canadian was to adopt primarily British traditions to a North American settling. Reflecting his Anglophilia, Massey quite consciously sought to model his mannerisms after those of an upper-class "English gentleman", which limited his political appeal as it led to accusations of snobbery. Massey's style of convoying a "tranquil consciousness of effortless superiority" that he picked up during his time at Oxford annoyed many Canadians, most notably his patron Mackenzie King, who decided that being a high commissioner to Britain would be the best place for him. Massey advocated excluding Jews from immigrating to Canada while Jewish refugees were fleeing Europe. He believed Jews were likely Communists and would steal jobs from native-born Canadians.


Diplomatic career

Later in 1926, on November 25, Governor General the Marquess of Willingdon acted on Mackenzie King's advice to appoint Massey as the first Canadian Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States for His Majesty's Government in Canada, making Massey Canada's first ever envoy with full diplomatic credentials to a foreign capital. Massey returned to Canada in 1930, as Mackenzie King had put his name forward for appointment as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. However, five days after Massey relinquished his post in Washington, DC, Mackenzie King's
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...
was defeated in the federal election, and Richard Bennett became prime minister. Bennett objected to Massey as the government's representative to the UK on the grounds that, as a former Liberal Cabinet member, Massey did not enjoy the political confidence of the new
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
government that was needed by the individual occupying the position.


High Commissioner in London

On November 8, 1935, Massey was appointed the
High Commissioner to the United Kingdom The following is the list of ambassadors and high commissioners to the United Kingdom, or more formally, to the Court of St James's. High commissioners represent member states of the Commonwealth of Nations and ambassadors represent other sta ...
for His Majesty's Government in Canada and arrived at
Canada House Canada House (french: Maison du Canada) is a Greek Revival building on Trafalgar Square in London. It has been a Grade II* Listed Building since 1970. It has served as the offices of the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom since 192 ...
to find as his secretary the man who would be his successor as Governor General of Canada,
Georges Vanier Georges-Philias Vanier (23 April 1888 – 5 March 1967) was a Canadian military officer and diplomat who served as governor general of Canada, the first Quebecer and second Canadian-born person to hold the position. Vanier was born and ...
. The two men set about regular diplomatic business, but, throughout 1936, Massey had to contend with the death of
King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...
and the accession and then the
abdication Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...
of King
Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire and Emperor of India from 20 January 19 ...
in favour of his younger brother,
Prince Albert, Duke of York George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...
, who ascended the throne as George VI. Massey was a passionate Anglophile for whom Britain was his ideal, and he had long wanted to be the Canadian high commissioner in London. Through the Massey family were American in origin, having arrived in Upper Canada in 1802, he invariably failed to mention that in his speeches, instead giving the very misleading impression that the Massey family–who had originated in Cheshire and immigrated to New England in the 17th century- had instead gone directly from England to Canada. During the abdication crisis of 1936, Massey supported the prime minister
Stanley Baldwin Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, (3 August 186714 December 1947) was a British Conservative Party politician who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as prime minister on three occasions, ...
against King Edward VIII, sharing the prime minister's viewpoint that it was not acceptable for the king and the supreme governor of the Church of England to marry a twice-divorced American woman, Wallis Simpson. Massey told Baldwin that he had his full support in his demand that the king either give up his throne or Simpson, through he also advised Baldwin that the king was popular in Canada, and many Canadians would not understand why the king could not marry Simpson, saying the matter had to handled very carefully least it alienate the Canadian people from the monarchy. The abdication crisis cemented Massey's dislike of the man who rapidly become his least favorite British politician,
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
, who supported the king's right to keep his throne and marry Mrs. Simpson. Massey in his reports to Mackenzie King (who acted as his own External Affairs minister) described Churchill as a reckless adventurer who was "exploiting the crisis for his own political ends". Massey believed that Churchill was using the crisis together with the "press barons" Lord Beaverbrook and Lord Rothermere to start a popular movement aimed at deposing Baldwin as Conservative Party leader in order to make himself prime minister. When Churchill gave a speech in the favour of the king in the House of Commons, Massey approvingly reported he was shouted down as Churchill had "shown his irresponsible, free-booting disposition". In May 1937, Massey was greatly honoured to have taken part in the coronation of King George VI, where he served as one of the royal standard-bearers. Massey held an intense reverence for the monarchy that bordered on the religious as he wrote: "What follows defies all adjectives. No ceremonial could be finer or more moving-this country has a genius for such things because of the combination of essentially English qualities of which English pageantry is an expression, a romantic sense, a feeling for precision without rigidity, a sense of symbolism kept in close check by a sense of humor, a practical sense which relates the ceremonial to present-day reality. Pageantry in the English tradition has always stood for pageantry with intelligence and feeling". The only element that marred the coronation for him was Mackenzie King's order that Massey not wear knee breeches as anachronistic, an order he unhappily complied with. Massey privately complained: "I wish to goodness that some of my countrymen wouldn't have an almost religious antipathy to knee breeches". Massey was dressed in his best clothes for the coronation and was described as looking "like a medieval strained glass window". Starting in May 1936, weekly meetings started to be held at Massey's house attended by all of the Dominion high commissioners in London to discuss matters of common concern. Massey together with
Stanley Bruce Stanley Melbourne Bruce, 1st Viscount Bruce of Melbourne, (15 April 1883 – 25 August 1967) was an Australian politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Australia from 1923 to 1929, as leader of the Nationalist Party. Born ...
of Australia and Charles te Water of South Africa were considered to be the "big three" of the Dominion high commissioners as Australia, South Africa and Canada were viewed as the three powerful of the Dominions. However, both Bruce and te Water were held in far higher esteem by the British than Massey, who was felt to be an embarrassment as he tried too hard to be accepted by the Establishment. Massey cultivated an aristocratic, sophisticated demeanor which gave him a reputation in London as a snob. By contrast, te Water was respected for his intelligence, through disliked for being arrogant and aloof while Bruce as appropriate for a former Australian prime minister was felt to be the most approachable of the high commissioners who had a populist "down-to-earth" demeanour. Bruce as a former Australian prime minister was held in a special esteem in London, and his influence was increased by his friendship with Geoffrey Dawson, the editor of ''The Times''. Likewise, both Bruce and te Water had more influence on their respective governments as both men were friends of their respective prime ministers, namely
Joseph Lyons Joseph Aloysius Lyons (15 September 1879 – 7 April 1939) was an Australian politician who served as the List of prime ministers of Australia by time in office, 10th Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1932 until his death in 1939. He ...
of Australia and J. B. M. Hertzog of South Africa while Mackenzie King seems to have appointed the Anglophile Massey as high commissioner as a sop to his ego. The mildly Anglophobic Mackenzie King complained that Massey's dispatches to him were "too English" for his liking. Te Water was considered to be the most intelligent and able of all the Dominion high commissioners, and he often acted as their informal leader. The British historian
Max Beloff Max Beloff, Baron Beloff, (2 July 1913 – 22 March 1999) was a British historian and Conservative peer. From 1974 to 1979 he was principal of the University College of Buckingham, now the University of Buckingham. Early life Beloff was born ...
described the Dominion high commissioners as a close-knit group who worked for appeasement of Germany. All of the Dominion high commissioners held to certain common beliefs that made them into supporters of appeasement. As a group, the high commissioners believed that the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh towards Germany and that it was France rather than Germany that was the principle trouble-maker in Europe. In common with the other high commissioners, Massey believed that the efforts of the ''Reich'' to challenge the international order created by the Treaty of Versailles was just and moral, and it was France's efforts to upheld the Versailles system made the French rather the Germans the main danger to world peace. Alongside this view of European politics went an intense dread of the Soviet Union, which was the nation that Massey and the other high commissioners feared the most. Massey was opposed to the alliances that France signed with Czechoslovakia in 1925 and with the Soviet Union in 1935, seeing this as irresponsible diplomacy on the part of the French who were attempting to preserve the Versailles system instead of giving in to German demands as he felt that they should. One of the most important influences on Massey was Lord Lothian, a Scottish aristocrat and a liberal intellectual whose perspective was always more in terms of the British empire than in terms of Britain, a viewpoint that endeared him to Massey. Lord Lothian had become convinced by 1923 that the Treaty of Versailles was a monstrously harsh peace treaty whose terms needed to be revised, and for much of the 1920s and 1930s had been a leading enthusiast for Germany. Lothian visited Germany twice, in 1935 and again in 1937, to meet
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
, and in both cases came away impressed. Much of Massey's favourable views about Nazi Germany were due to his talks with Lothian who assured him that if only the Treaty of Versailles were revised, the peace of the world would be saved.
Charles Corbin Charles Corbin (1881–1970) was a French diplomat who served as ambassador to Britain before and during the early part of the Second World War, from 1933 to 27 June 1940. Early life He was born in Paris, the son of Paul Corbin, an industrialis ...
the French ambassador to the court of St. James, who met all of the Dominion high commissioners together with all of the Dominion leaders during the Imperial conference of 1937, described them all as a group who were collectively ignorant of Europe, reporting to Paris on 3 June 1937 that he was astonished at how little they knew about Eastern Europe, a region they viewed via very simplistic clichés. As high commissioner, Massey used his connections to bring to Canada House a host of personalities from "the highest quarters". Two such persons were the Viscount and Viscountess Astor, who were the nucleus of the Cliveden set, which itself was a group of
aristocrat The aristocracy is historically associated with "hereditary" or "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the upper class of people (aristocrats) with hereditary rank and titles. In some, such as ancient Greece, ancient Ro ...
ic individuals rumoured to be
Germanophile A Germanophile, Teutonophile, or Teutophile is a person who is fond of German culture, German people and Germany in general, or who exhibits German patriotism in spite of not being either an ethnic German or a German citizen. The love of the ''Ge ...
s not only in favour of the appeasement of Hitler, but also supporters of friendly relations with
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
. Though these allegations were historically challenged as exaggerations,
Irving Abella Irving Martin Abella (July 2, 1940 – July 3, 2022) was a Canadian historian who served as a professor at York University from 1968 to 2013. He specialized in the history of the Jews in Canada and the Canadian labour movement. Early life Abe ...
and
Harold Troper Harold (Hesh) Troper (born January 1, 1942) is a Canadian writer, historian and academic. He specializes in Jewish Canadian history. Together with Irving Abella, he authored '' None Is Too Many'', the story of the Canadian government's refusal to ...
claimed in their book '' None Is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe 1933–1948'' that Massey was an enthusiastic supporter of the
Munich Agreement The Munich Agreement ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, Mníchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, Germany, the United Kingdom, French Third Republic, France, and Fa ...
and worked in concert with various elected and non-elected people in government, including Mackenzie King and
Ernest Lapointe Ernest Lapointe (October 6, 1876 – November 26, 1941) was a Canadian lawyer and politician. A member of Parliament from Quebec City, he was a senior minister in the government of Prime Minister W. L. Mackenzie King, playing an importa ...
, to put obstacles in the way of Jewish
refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.
s fleeing Europe for Canada, or even using Canada as a stopover en route to some other country. However, Canadian immigration policy at the time favoured trained farmers, which excluded most Jews, who were largely city dwellers, and the Cabinet of Mackenzie King was already resistant to changes in the law. Seven decades later, these accusations against Massey resulted in a campaign in
Windsor, Ontario Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the souther ...
, to rename a high school that had originally been named in his honour. On 24 April 1938, the Sudetenland crisis began when the Sudeten German leader
Konrad Henlein Konrad Ernst Eduard Henlein (6 May 1898 – 10 May 1945) was a leading Sudeten Germans, Sudeten German politician in Czechoslovakia. Upon the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, German occupation in October 1938 he joined the Nazi Party as well ...
in a speech in Karlsbad (modern Karlovy Vary) put forward the so-called Karlsbad programme, whose eight points would have given the Sudetenland much autonomy within Czechoslovakia. The Karlsbad programme had been written in Berlin, and the German government promptly endorsed the Karlsbad programme, saying it would go to war if Czechoslovakia rejected the Karlsbad programme. In the May crisis of 1938, Massey blamed President
Edvard Beneš Edvard Beneš (; 28 May 1884 – 3 September 1948) was a Czech politician and statesman who served as the president of Czechoslovakia from 1935 to 1938, and again from 1945 to 1948. He also led the Czechoslovak government-in-exile 1939 to 1945 ...
of Czechoslovakia rather than Hitler, writing in a cable to Mackenzie King that it was Czechoslovakia that was the aggressor and Germany the victim. On 28 May 1938, the British Foreign Secretary
Lord Halifax Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, (16 April 1881 – 23 December 1959), known as The Lord Irwin from 1925 until 1934 and The Viscount Halifax from 1934 until 1944, was a senior British Conservative politician of the 19 ...
in a meeting with all the Dominion high commissioners told them that the British government was convinced that Czechoslovakia with its mixture of Czechs, Slovaks, Germans, Magyars, Poles and Ukrainians could not last as a unitary state, and the best solution would be to turn Czechoslovakia into a federation. Halifax felt the Karlsbad programme, through problematic in certain respects, offered the starting point to turn Czechoslovakia into a federation. After the meeting, Halifax took Massey aside for a talk, saying he was very interested in learning how English Canadians and French Canadians got along well in the Canadian federation, saying he envisioned a "Canadian solution" to the problems of Czechoslovakia. Halifax told Massey he wanted to see Czechoslovakia turned into a Canadian-style federation so that the Czechs and the Sudeten Germans would act more like English Canadians and French Canadians and less like themselves. The fact that Beneš rejected the British advice to engage in constitutional changes to make Czechoslovakia into a federation until early September 1938 cost him much sympathy in London, and added to the perception that it was Beneš who was the danger to peace. During the Sudetenland crisis of 1938, Massey very much wanted President
Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
of the United States to step in as a mediator, and was disappointed when Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain Arthur Neville Chamberlain (; 18 March 18699 November 1940) was a British politician of the Conservative Party who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. He is best known for his foreign policy of appeasemen ...
told him that he did not think much of this plan, saying he much doubted that Roosevelt was willing to play the role of the mediator. Massey saw the Sudetenland crisis as a matter of "saving civilization" as he believed that another world war would be the end of Western civilization. On 12 September 1938, the crisis dramatically escalated when Hitler in his speech at the Nuremberg Party Rally announced that the acceptance of the Karlsbad programme was not enough and instead demanded the Sudetenland "go home to the ''Reich''", saying he now wanted the Sudetenland incorported into Germany, a demand that President Beneš promptly rejected. The fact that Hitler engaged in much personal abuse of Beneš in his speech was not helpful to peace as Massey reported to Mackenzie King, but he still clung to his belief that it was Beneš who was the problem, not Hitler. Massey believed that Hitler's demands for the Sudetenland were moral and just, that Czechoslovakia was not worth fighting for, and it was France that by refusing to renounce its alliance with Czechoslovakia was the principle trouble-maker. Massey believed that Britain should only go to war if Hitler was seeking world domination, and as he did believe that this was the case with the Sudetenland, he was opposed to war with Germany in 1938. On 14 September 1938, Massey met with te Water where both men agreed that "this astonishing episode" as they deemed it with Britain on the brink of the war must not be allowed to come to war, and that Britain should pressure Czechoslovakia to cede the Sudetenland. On 19 September 1938, the Dominion secretary
Malcolm MacDonald Malcolm Ian Macdonald (born 7 January 1950) is an English former professional footballer, manager and media figure. Nicknamed 'Supermac', Macdonald was a quick, powerfully built prolific goalscorer. He played for Fulham, Luton Town, Newcastle U ...
met with all of the Dominion high commissioners to tell them that Chamberlain had agreed to Hitler's demand that the Sudetenland "go home to the ''Reich''" and that Britain would offer a "guarantee" of the rest of Czechoslovakia as the reward for ceding the Sudetenland. Bruce supported the idea of the "guarantee" and even offered to have Australia join in with "guaranteeing" Czechoslovakia; te Water was categorically opposed, saying there was no possibility of South Africa joining in; and Massey in his report to Mackenzie King offered no comment about his feelings other than to say the other high commissioners had insisted upon it. Massey added that he still felt that Beneš was the main danger to the peace, saying his main fear was that Beneš might reject the British peace plan. Much to Massey's relief, Beneš accepted the British plan. On 24 September 1938, all of the Dominion high commissioners met with MacDonald. As was usually the case, te Water acted as their spokesman and he sharply criticised Chamberlain for rejecting Hitler's Bad Godesberg ultimatum, saying that Chamberlain should try to modify Hitler's terms, but if matters came to ''in extremis'', it was better to yield to Hitler's terms than go to war. Shortly afterwards, a split emerged with the Dominion high commissioners with Bruce arguing that Chamberlain was correct after all to reject the Bad Godesberg ultimatum, saying it was a matter of British "honour" that the United Kingdom not be allowed to be seen to be bullied, and that a referendum should be held in the Sudetenland to determine what districts wanted to "go home to the ''Reich''" and what districts wanted to remain part of Czechoslovakia. By contrast, Massey, te Water and the Irish high commissioner
John Dulanty John Whelan Dulanty (1883 – February 1955) was an Irish diplomat. He represented Ireland in London for 20 years, first as High Commissioner and then as Ireland's first Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Biography Dulanty was born in Mancheste ...
all supported accepting Hitler's demand that the ''Reich'' be allowed to occupy the Sudetenland prior to 1 October 1938. On 28 September 1938, both Bruce and Massey supported te Water's statement that it was "psychologically wrong" to blame Hitler for the crisis and with te Water's demand that Chamberlain find a way to silence the "bellicose" MPs like Winston Churchill who were criticizing his government's policies in the House of Commons. At another meeting with MacDonald on 29 September, both te Water and Massey protested against the British appeal to Beneš to "not tie" Chamberlain's hands, complaining that it implied that Beneš had the power to do so. When Chamberlain left Heston airport to attend the Munich conference on 29 September 1938, both te Water and Massey were there to offer him their best wishes to save the peace at Munich. In March 1939, Europe was plunged into a new crisis, this time concerning the city-state of the
Free City of Danzig The Free City of Danzig (german: Freie Stadt Danzig; pl, Wolne Miasto Gdańsk; csb, Wòlny Gard Gduńsk) was a city-state under the protection of the League of Nations between 1920 and 1939, consisting of the Baltic Sea port of Danzig (now Gda ...
(modern Gdańsk, Poland) as Hitler now announced that he wanted the Free City to "go home to the ''Reich''", a demand that was felt certain to cause a war with Poland, which had certain rights in Danzig and always taken the position that any attempt to return to Danzig to Germany would be a ''casus belli''. Massey was greatly influenced by te Water, and usually followed whatever line te Water was taking with regard to the British. Following the German occupation of the Czech half of Czecho-Slovakia on 15 March 1939, the policy of the Chamberlain government notably altered. In a speech in Birmingham on 17 March 1939, Chamberlain announced that if Hitler was seeking world domination, Britain would go to war. At a meeting with the Dominions Secretary Sir
Thomas Inskip Thomas Walker Hobart Inskip, 1st Viscount Caldecote, (5 March 1876 – 11 October 1947) was a British politician who served in many legal posts, culminating in serving as Lord Chancellor from 1939 until 1940. Despite legal posts dominating his ...
, te Water, supported by Massey, assailed the change of policy, saying that Germany still deserved "one more chance of saving face". On 31 March 1939, Chamberlain in a speech in the House of Commons announced the famous British "guarantee" of Poland, stating that Britain would go to war to defend Polish independence, through Chamberlain notably left out Polish territory from the "guarantee", thereby implying that Britain was still open to having the Polish corridor and Upper Silesia returned to Germany. Later that same day in a meeting at 10 Downing Street, te Water and Massey both told Chamberlain that Germany "had a genuine claim to Danzig", which made it an "extremely bad reason" to risk a war over. For Massey, his main concern in the spring of 1939 was not the Danzig visit, but rather organizing the royal visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to Canada, which took place in June–July 1939. Massey had been planning the visit ever since the coronation, and spent much time corresponding with the Governor-General,
Lord Tweedsmuir John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation. After a brief legal career ...
about the preparations for the visit, as the impeding royal visit had less interest for Mackenzie King. Much to Massey's delight, he found himself regularly having dinner with the royal family at
Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original cast ...
to discuss details for the visit. The royal visit was a great success with the king being cheered whatever he went as he visited all nine provinces, leading Massey to write: "The Royal visit to Canada was an event so happy in its conception, so gloriously successful in its achievement, and so fragrant in its memory, that any comment seems both inadequate and superfluous". Over the course of the summer of 1939, Massey came to break away from te Water's influence, helped by the fact that te Water had taken a holiday in Ireland for the much of the summer. Through Massey was not enthusiastic about the possibility of Britain going to war, he came to increasing accept that it might be inevitable unless Hitler could be persuaded to back down in the Danzig crisis. An additional pressure for a change in views came from Lord Lothian, who had a ''volte-face'' in his thinking about Nazi Germany, and was by the spring of 1939 was now convinced that Hitler was seeking world domination. Over the course of the summer of 1939, Lothian sought to convince Massey that Hitler's aims went beyond revising the Treaty of Versailles towards the domination of the entire world, an effort that Lothian was successful in.


Second World War

Nevertheless, Massey was a Canadian and British patriot and worked not only to maximize Canada's war effort once the Second World War broke out, but also served through 1936 as the Canadian delegate to the
League of Nations The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
, between 1941 and 1945 as a trustee of the
National National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...
and
Tate Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...
galleries, and as chair of the Tate's board of governors from 1943 to 1945. For this work Massey was inducted by George VI into the
Order of the Companions of Honour The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded on 4 June 1917 by King George V as a reward for outstanding achievements. Founded on the same date as the Order of the British Empire, it is sometimes ...
in 1946. After Britain declared war on 3 September 1939, the high commissioners set up themselves up as a "junior war cabinet" that represented their interests with the British government. As te Water was fired on 7 September 1939 for opposing South Africa's entry into the war, Bruce and Massey were regarded as the co-leaders of the high commissioners. In a reversal of the expected roles, the New Zealand high commissioner Bill Jordan, a working class British man and a former London policeman who had immigrated to New Zealand in 1904 was the high commissioner best liked by the British, followed up by Bruce. Massey with his aristocratic airs was considered to be a pompous snob who was too overtly proud of the fact that the Masseys were one of Canada's richest families. In September 1939, Massey and Bruce met with the Dominions Secretary,
Anthony Eden Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, (12 June 1897 – 14 January 1977) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 until his resignation in 1957. Achieving rapid promo ...
, to suggest a plan to train airmen in Canada and Australia, which became the genesis of the
Commonwealth Air Training Plan The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), or Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) often referred to as simply "The Plan", was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zea ...
. Massey always regarded his work as in helping to create the Commonwealth Air Training Plan as one of his great achievements. However, Massey was undercut by Mackenzie King who in an extraordinary move told the British as not to regard Massey as speaking for Canada, leaving the British confused about what was the precise purpose of Massey's role in London. Mackenzie King had only very reluctantly declared war on Germany on 10 September 1939 was keen to minimize Canada's role in the war, wanting Canada to do as little as possible, as he feared a repeat of the conscription crisis of 1917. Once the war began, the deeply Anglophile Massey wanted Canada to do as much as possible to help the "mother country", leading Mackenzie King to marginalize him as Massey's views about Canada's role in the war were not his views. Massey welcomed the appointment of Churchill as prime minister on 10 May 1940 by King George VI, through he never lost his doubts about the fitness of Churchill to be prime minister, regarding him as an adventurer with a questionable sense of judgement. In late May 1940, Massey informed the British that Canada was sending all of the Royal Canadian Navy's destroyers to Britain to assist with the defense of Britain if France surrendered. In 1940, Massey together with Bruce were extremely unhappy when Churchill appointed Inskip as the dominions secretary to replace Eden, telling the new South African high commissioner Sidney Frank Waterson that Inskip was one of the most incompetent ministers in the Chamberlain cabinet who had once fallen asleep during a crucial cabinet meeting in April 1939. Both Massey and Bruce regarded the appointment of Inskip as dominions secretary as a personal insult, saying that this showed how little Churchill valued the dominions. The fact that Inskip was not allowed to attend the meetings of the War Cabinet, and thus would not be able to inform the high commissioners of the decisions of the war cabinet added to Massey's rancor, which he expressed in a letter to Churchill on 3 July 1940. It was only with appointment of Lord Cranborne as Dominions Secretary in 1943 that Massey finally felt there was a competent Dominions Secretary who understood the concerns of the dominions. In July 1940, Massey supported a declaration of proposed British war aims written by Bruce which stated that "we make it abundantly clear that we stand not only for liberty, but for economic and social justice" because that would "give us every chance of mobilising a revolutionary movement in Europe behind the ideals of the British empire". Massey was opposed to Britain taking a hardline with Vichy France, as he believed that Marshal
Philippe Pétain Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Pétain (24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951), commonly known as Philippe Pétain (, ) or Marshal Pétain (french: Maréchal Pétain), was a French general who attained the position of Marshal of France at the end of World ...
had only signed the armistice with Germany on 21 June 1940 to save his nation and that Pétain could be persuaded to reenter the war on the Allied side, provided the British were tactful with him. By contrast, Massey had nothing but contempt for the
French National Committee The French National Committee (french: Comité national français, CNF) was the coordinating body created by General Charles de Gaulle which acted as the government in exile of Free France from 1941 to 1943. The committee was the successor of ...
in London headed by
Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...
, a man whom Massey detested and distrusted. Massey's views towards Vichy France were to a certain extent governed by domestic considerations as Pétain's ''révolution nationale'' was popular with Catholic conservatives in Quebec, and Massey feared that British actions such as attacking the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir would increase anti-war feelings in Quebec. During the London blitz, Massey lived in the Dorchester hotel, where he felt he would be safer from German bombs. Massey was strongly opposed to the
Destroyers-for-bases deal The destroyers-for-bases deal was an agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom on September 2, 1940, according to which 50 , , and US Navy destroyers were transferred to the Royal Navy from the US Navy in exchange for land rights ...
, under which Britain gave the United States 99-year leases on various British air and naval bases in the British West Indies, British Guinea (modern Guyana), Bermuda and Newfoundland in exchange for 50 elderly American destroyers, some of which were barely seaworthy. Massey was especially opposed to the United States taking over naval and air bases in Newfoundland, which he viewed as a future Canadian province. Massey felt that the American bases in Newfoundland were the first step towards the United States annexing Newfoundland, and in March 1941 delivered a formal note of protest, saying that Churchill signed the Destroyers-for-bases deal without consulting Canada. From 1942 onward, Massey was involved in a semi-military extension of his duties, representing the interests of the Canadian military headquarters in London, in which capacity, he worked very closely with J. L. Ralston, the minister of national defense; General
Andrew McNaughton Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derived ...
, the commander of the 1st Canadian Army; and his deputy General
Harry Crerar General Henry Duncan Graham Crerar (28 April 1888 – 1 April 1965) was a senior officer of the Canadian Army who became the country's senior field commander in the Second World War as commander of the First Canadian Army in the campaign in N ...
. Massey was closer to Crerar than to McNaughton, with whom he had difficult relations, and increasingly came to share Crerar's conviction that McNaughton in a classic case of the Peter principle had been promoted to his level of incompetence. McNaughton had earned a sterling reputation in the First World War as one of the outstanding "gunners" (artillerymen) in the entire world, and still famous in Second World War as the great Canadian soldier-scientist, a man who had mastered two very different fields. The fact that McNaughton was highly charismatic and very popular with the Canadian people also added to his appeal. However, Crerar felt and Massey came to feel likewise that whatever McNaughton's gifts as a "gunner" that was not capable of commanding an army in the field. Massey seems to have missed that Crerar was an intriguer who was always plotting to secure himself a promotion, and that at least part of his animosity against McNaughton was his desire to command the 1st Canadian Army.
Lester Pearson Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson (23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972) was a Canadian scholar, statesman, diplomat, and politician who served as the 14th prime minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968. Born in Newtonbrook, Ontario (now part of ...
during a visit to London reported that McNaughton preferred to deal with him rather than with Massey, reporting to Mackenzie King: "Their temperaments assey and McNaughtonwere at opposite poles and neither felt at that early stage very comfortable and relaxed with one another". In the spring of 1943, Mackenzie King, who until then, had been almost always opposed to the Canadian Army actually fighting in the war, suddenly did a ''volte-face'' on the issue as he became consumed with the fear that the war might end with Canada winning no victories, which he believed would be the ruin of his political career. Mackenzie King now insisted that the 1st Canadian Infantry Division take part in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily planned for July 1943, despite the fact that the British did not want the 1st Division in Sicily. McNaughton was strongly opposed to losing a division from the 1st Canadian Army, which brought tensions with Massey to the fore as the latter on the behalf of Mackenzie King insisted that the 1st Division take part in Operation Husky. As McNaughton was very popular with both the troops under his command and with the Canadian people, Mackenzie King did not want McNaughton to resign in protest. After much haggling, it was agreed that the 1st Division would be detached from the 1st Canadian Army to serve as part of the British 8th Army in Sicily and would return to Britain to rejoin the 1st Army once the Sicilian campaign was over. Upon his return to Canada Massey continued in the same cultural fields. He sat as chair of the
National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada (french: Musée des beaux-arts du Canada), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the l ...
from 1948 to 1952 and served as Chancellor of the University of Toronto from 1948 to 1953. In 1949, Massey was appointed head of the
Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences The Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences, otherwise known as the Massey Commission, chaired by Vincent Massey, was founded in 1949. The Massey Commission examined Canada's cultural needs. Massey had long belie ...
, which resulted in the Massey Report of 1951 and led to the establishment of the
National Library of Canada Library and Archives Canada (LAC; french: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is the federal institution, tasked with acquiring, preserving, and providing accessibility to the documentary heritage of Canada. The national archive and library is t ...
and the
Canada Council of the Arts Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by total ...
.


Governor General of Canada

Massey was the first Canadian-born individual to be appointed Governor General; all his predecessors had been born elsewhere in the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
or
British Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...
. As a widower (his wife had died in 1950), he was also the only unmarried person ever to reside at Rideau Hall until the appointment of
Julie Payette Julie Payette (; born October 20, 1963) is a Canadian engineer, scientist and former astronaut who served from 2017 to 2021 as Governor General of Canada, the 29th since Canadian Confederation. Payette holds engineering degrees from McGill ...
in 2017. Usually, the governor general's wife is the viceregal consort and acts as the hostess and chatelaine of the household; during Massey's tenure, his daughter-in-law,
Lilias Massey Lilias Evva Massey (formerly Van Buskirk; ;"Mrs. Lionel Massey Leads Busy Social Life". ''Ottawa Citizen'', May 14, 1954. 1918 – January 19, 1997) was a Canadian dignitary, who served as châtelaine of Rideau Hall during her father-in-law Vincen ...
, fulfilled the role, though she was not accorded the style of ''Her Excellency'', usually given to the viceregal consort.


As governor general-designate

On February 1, 1952, the
Office of the Prime Minister of Canada The Prime Minister's Office (PMO; french: Cabinet du Premier minister; french: CPM, label=none) is the political arm of the staff housed in the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council building that supports the role of the Prime Minister o ...
announced that George VI had approved Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent's choice of Massey to succeed the Viscount Alexander of Tunis as the King's representative. Five days later, however, the King was dead and Massey, upon his swearing-in, became the first Canadian-born representative of George's daughter, Queen
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
. In the bustle over the king's death, there was little fanfare around Massey's appointment; Lord Alexander quietly departed Canada shortly after the announcement of Massey as his successor, leaving Chief Justice
Thibaudeau Rinfret Thibaudeau Rinfret (June 22, 1879 – July 25, 1962) was a Canadian jurist and the ninth Chief Justice of Canada and Administrator of Canada in 1952. Early life Rinfret was born in Montreal in 1879, the son of François-Olivier Rinfret and ...
as
administrator of the government An administrator (administrator of the government or officer administering the government) in the constitutional practice of some countries in the Commonwealth is a person who fulfils a role similar to that of a governor or a governor-general ...
in his place, as Massey was, at the time, in London. As he was a member of the
Privy Council of the United Kingdom The Privy Council (PC), officially His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Its membership mainly comprises senior politicians who are current or former members of e ...
, he attended the new queen's
Accession Council In the United Kingdom, the Accession Council is a ceremonial body which assembles in St James's Palace in London upon the death of a monarch to make formal proclamation of the accession of the successor to the throne. Under the terms of the Ac ...
on February 7. In Canada, there was some commentary on the new representative of the monarch. The notion of a Canadian-born Governor General, and one not belonging to the
peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks. Peerages include: Australia * Australian peers Belgium * Belgi ...
, was viewed with suspicion by traditionalists. Massey, thus, was to be a compromise: while it was known he was closely associated with the Liberal Party, having been the group's chairman during the 1930s, the governor general-designate was a Canadian by birth but he also embodied loyalty, dignity, and formality, as expected from a viceroy. Massey stated that, for his role as governor general, he looked for inspiration to one of his predecessors and a man Massey had known for decades: the Baron Tweedsmuir, whom Massey said he "greatly admired" and had "learnt much from" his tenure as governor general. ''
Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...
'' magazine ran a profile piece on Massey in which the Marquess of Salisbury described Massey as an elegant individual—citing Massey's Oxford schooling and tailored clothing as illustrations—and thoroughly Canadian, though noting that "Vincent's a fine chap, but he does make one feel like a bit of a savage." But the elite demeanour he was sometimes criticized for was not evident in Massey's belief that the Crown belonged to Canadians and that it was his task as viceroy to act as a link between the people and the monarch. He similarly believed that the arts were a way to assert Canadian sovereignty and that the various artistic fields should be accessible to all Canadians.


In office

On February 28, 1952, Massey was sworn in as governor general of Canada in a ceremony in the Senate chamber, where he was presented with the
Canadian Forces Decoration The Canadian Forces' Decoration (post-nominal letters "CD") is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to t ...
(subsequently given to all governors general upon taking office). However, Massey's first months as the viceroy were muted, due to the ongoing 16-week period of
official mourning Mourning is the expression of an experience that is the consequence of an event in life involving loss, causing grief, occurring as a result of someone's death, specifically someone who was loved although loss from death is not exclusively ...
. It was not until the coronation of Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, that Massey was called upon to take charge of any national celebration. For the occasion, he revived the use of the state carriage when he rode in it, with an accompanying guard of
Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...
, from the royal and viceroyal residence of
Rideau Hall Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and their representative, the governor general of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main b ...
to
Parliament Hill Parliament Hill (french: Colline du Parlement, colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings, and their architectu ...
, where he introduced to the gathered crowd the Queen's coronation speech, broadcast around the world via radio. He also gave a silver spoon to each child born on that day. Massey welcomed the Queen and her consort, the Duke of Edinburgh, to Ottawa on three occasions from 1957 on; when the royal couple were engaged in a cross-country tour, Massey invited them to stay at his private estate, Batterwood, near
Port Hope, Ontario Port Hope is a municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, approximately east of Toronto and about west of Kingston. It is located at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the west end of Northumberland County. ...
. He also hosted a number of foreign
heads of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 "he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and le ...
, including
United States president The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United State ...
Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
on November 13, 1953. As a return gesture, Massey was invited by Eisenhower to Washington, DC, where, on May 4, 1954, he addressed a
joint session of the United States Congress A joint session of the United States Congress is a gathering of members of the two chambers of the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Joint sessions can be held on a ...
. It was Massey's intent as governor general to work to unite Canada's diverse cultures. He travelled across the country, using any and all available transportation, including
canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the term ...
and
dog sled A dog sled or dog sleigh is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. Numerous types of sleds are used, depending on their function. They can be used for dog sled racing. Traditionally in Greenland and the e ...
, and delivered speeches promoting bilingualism, some 20 years before it became an official national policy. Along with the usual ceremonial duties undertaken by a viceroy, such as opening in 1955 the new home of the
Royal Saskatchewan Museum The Royal Saskatchewan Museum (RSM) is a Canadian natural history museum in Regina, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1906, it is the first museum in Saskatchewan, and the first provincial museum in the three Prairie Provinces. The institution was formed ...
and, with his 1958 Dominion Day speech, inaugurating the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
's first national televised broadcast, the Governor General toured the
Canadian arctic Northern Canada, colloquially the North or the Territories, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories and N ...
extensively, journeying to such places as
Frobisher Bay Frobisher Bay is an inlet of the Davis Strait in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is located in the southeastern corner of Baffin Island. Its length is about and its width varies from about at its outlet into the Labrador Sea ...
and
Hall Beach Sanirajak (Inuktitut meaning ''the shoreline''), Syllabics: ᓴᓂᕋᔭᒃ), formerly known as Hall Beach until 27 February 2020, is an Inuit settlement within the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada, approximately south of Igloolik. Histo ...
in the
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...
, meeting with local
Inuit Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...
residents, participating in their activities, and watching their performances. During his governor generalship, Massey also became actively involved with Upper Canada College, donating funds and his time to the school and seeing a number of spaces there named in his honour in return. As part of his effort to unify Canadians, it was Massey's desire to see established an entirely Canadian honours system. Though such a thing was never realised during his viceregal tenure, he helped lay the groundwork for the system that would be implemented by his successor, and in 1967, just months before his death, Massey was inducted as one of the first companions of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...
.


Promoting culture

Biographer Claude Bissell believed that Massey's most influential years were between 1949 and 1959, when Massey "made his major contribution. More than any other Canadian, he was responsible for the first major movement of the arts and letters from the periphery of national concern towards the centre. It was a notable achievement." In this vein, Massey created awards for artistic endeavours, such as the
Governor General's Medals in Architecture The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
, and promoted the concept of an annual, national arts festival, which eventually led to the founding of the
National Arts Centre The National Arts Centre (NAC) (french: Centre national des Arts) is a Arts centre, performing arts organisation in Ottawa, Ontario, along the Rideau Canal. It is based in the eponymous National Arts Centre (building), National Arts Centre build ...
. Further, Massey initiated in 1954 the Governor General's gold medal for the Institute of Chartered Accountants, as well as in 1959 the
Massey Medal The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) awards the Massey Medal annually to recognize outstanding personal achievement in the exploration, development or description of the geography of Canada. The award was established in 1959, by the Ma ...
, for excellence in geographic endeavours for the
Royal Canadian Geographical Society The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS; French: ''Société géographique royale du Canada'') is a Canadian nonprofit educational organization dedicated to imparting a broader knowledge and deeper appreciation of Canada—its people ...
.


Post-viceregal life and death

Upon his final departure from Rideau Hall as governor general, Massey retired to Batterwood House, in the village of Canton, near Port Hope, Ontario. For his service to the Crown, he was awarded from the Queen the
Royal Victorian Chain The Royal Victorian Chain is a decoration instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the monarch (i.e. not an award made on the advice of any Commonwealth realm government). It ranks above the Royal Victorian Order, with which it ...
, making him the second commoner or non-head of state, the first Canadian, and one of the only two Canadians to have ever received the honour. Just prior to the end of his time as governor general, the Queen wrote to Massey: "I wish to send you my congratulations and my sincere thanks for the manner in which you have discharged
our Our or OUR may refer to: * The possessive form of " we" * Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany * Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium * Our, Jura, a commune in France * Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a government utility regulato ...
duties. I know that as my personal representative you have always sought to maintain the right relationship between the Crown and the people of Canada. I am grateful to you for this because I regard it as the most important function among the many duties of the appointment which you have held with such distinction." The Queen had wanted to appoint Massey as a Knight of the
Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
, but Prime Minister
John Diefenbaker John George Diefenbaker ( ; September 18, 1895 – August 16, 1979) was the 13th prime minister of Canada, serving from 1957 to 1963. He was the only Progressive Conservative party leader between 1930 and 1979 to lead the party to an electio ...
, after consulting the rest of Cabinet, advised the Queen against conferring the honour. Massey continued his philanthropic work, dedicating his time to the stewardship of the Massey Foundation, and its endowment to the University of Toronto, in particular. His donation of Hart House to the University of Toronto stipulated that the building be restricted to men only, and it was not until after his death that the deed of gift was altered to allow for women becoming full members in 1972. While Hart House continued as one of the recipients of Massey's attention and funds, Massey also expanded the scope of his donations to U of T with the establishment in 1963 of
Massey College Massey College is a graduate residential college at the University of Toronto that was established, built and partially endowed in 1962 by the Massey Foundation and officially opened in 1963, though women were not admitted until 1974. It was mo ...
, to which Massey's protégé,
Robertson Davies William Robertson Davies (28 August 1913 – 2 December 1995) was a Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor. He was one of Canada's best known and most popular authors and one of its most distinguished " men of letters" ...
, was appointed as the college's first master. In 1961, the
Massey Lectures The Massey Lectures is an annual five-part series of lectures given in Canada by distinguished writers, thinkers and scholars who explore important ideas and issues of contemporary interest. Created in 1961 in honour of Vincent Massey, the former ...
were also initiated, conceived as a focus on important contemporary issues by leading thinkers, and they remain considered as the most important public lecture series in Canada. At the end of 1967, on December 30, Massey died while on holiday in the United Kingdom. His remains were returned to Canada and he was, as is customary for former governors general, given a
state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of Etiquette, protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive ...
, in early January 1968. He was buried alongside his wife at historic St. Mark's Anglican church in Port Hope; his was among the last burials permitted in the small cemetery (
Farley Mowat Farley McGill Mowat, (May 12, 1921 – May 6, 2014) was a Canadian writer and environmentalist. His works were translated into 52 languages, and he sold more than 17 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Can ...
was interred in 2014).


Honours

Appointments * 1946 – December 30, 1967:
Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded on 4 June 1917 by King George V as a reward for outstanding achievements. Founded on the same date as the Order of the British Empire, it is sometime ...
(CH) * September 16, 1925 – December 30, 1967: Member of the King's Privy Council for Canada (PC) * June 6, 1941 – December 30, 1967: Member of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council * February 28, 1952 – 1955: Knight of Justice, Prior, and Chief Officer in Canada of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (KStJ) ** 1952 – September 15, 1959: Bailiff Grand Cross, Prior, and Chief Officer in Canada of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (GCStJ) ** September 15, 1959 – December 30, 1967: Bailiff Grand Cross of the Venerable Order of Saint John (GCStJ) * February 28, 1952 – September 15, 1959: Chief Scout of Canada * 1952 – December 30, 1967: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club * July 9, 1967 – December 30, 1967:
Companion of the Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with ...
(CC) * Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (FRSC(hon)) Medals * 1935:
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver J ...
* 1937:
King George VI Coronation Medal The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir of King George VI's coronation. It was awarded to th ...
* February 28, 1952:
Canadian Forces Decoration The Canadian Forces' Decoration (post-nominal letters "CD") is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to t ...
(CD) * 1953: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal * 1967:
Canadian Centennial Medal The Canadian Centennial Medal (french: Médaille du centenaire du Canada) is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and was awarded to Canadians who were ...
Awards * July 22, 1960:
Royal Victorian Chain The Royal Victorian Chain is a decoration instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the monarch (i.e. not an award made on the advice of any Commonwealth realm government). It ranks above the Royal Victorian Order, with which it ...
* December 11, 1963: Augmentation of honour


Honorary military appointments

* February 28, 1952 – September 15, 1959: Colonel of
the Governor General's Horse Guards The Governor General's Horse Guards is an armoured reconnaissance regiment in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army. The regiment is part of 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group and is based in Toronto, Ontario. It is the most se ...
* February 28, 1952 – September 15, 1959: Colonel of the
Governor General's Foot Guards The Governor General's Foot Guards (GGFG) is the senior reserve infantry regiment in the Canadian Army. Located in Ottawa at the Cartier Square Drill Hall, the regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry unit, and the members are part-time soldiers. ...
* February 28, 1952 – September 15, 1959: Colonel of
the Canadian Grenadier Guards ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...


Honorary degrees

* 1951: Queen's University,
Doctor of Laws A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor (LL. ...
(LLD) * May 13, 1955:
University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD) * May 18, 1954:
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)


Honorific eponyms

Events * :
Massey Lectures The Massey Lectures is an annual five-part series of lectures given in Canada by distinguished writers, thinkers and scholars who explore important ideas and issues of contemporary interest. Created in 1961 in honour of Vincent Massey, the former ...
Geographic locations * : Mount Massey * : Massey Drive * : Massey,
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
* :
Vincent Massey Park Vincent Massey Park is an urban park along the Rideau River in the Confederation Heights neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, accessible via Heron Road. It is extensively used in the summer for family and group picnics. The park has woode ...
,
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
* : Massey Place,
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
* : Massey Park,
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
Buildings * : Vincent Massey Theatre (later Massey Theatre),
New Westminster New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capita ...
* : Massey Building,
Royal Military College of Canada '') , established = 1876 , type = Military academy , chancellor = Anita Anand ('' la, ex officio, label=none'' as Defence Minister) , principal = Harry Kowal , head_label ...
, Kingston **Massey Library, within the Massey Building * : Massey Quadrangle,
Upper Canada College Upper Canada College (UCC) is an elite, all-boys, private school in Toronto, Ontario, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The college is widely described as the country's most prestigious preparatory school, and has produce ...
,
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
* : Vincent Massey Memorial Centre,
Bewdley Bewdley ( pronunciation) is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District in Worcestershire, England on the banks of the River Severn. It is in the Severn Valley west of Kidderminster and southwest of Birmingham. It lies on the River Sev ...
* : Massey House, Trinity College, Toronto * : Place Vincent Massey,
Gatineau Gatineau ( ; ) is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is located on the northern bank of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario. Gatineau is the largest city in the Outaouais administrative region and is part of Canada's N ...
* : Massey Building, ''
Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean The Royal Military College Saint-Jean (french: link=no, Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean), commonly referred to as RMC Saint-Jean and CMR, is a Canadian Military academy, military college and university. It is located on the historical site ...
'',
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu () is a city in eastern Montérégie in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec, about southeast of Montreal. It is situated on the west bank of the Richelieu River at the northernmost naviga ...
Schools * : Vincent Massey Junior High School,
Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
* : Vincent Massey School,
Medicine Hat Medicine Hat is a city in Southern Alberta, southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff, Alberta, ...
* :
Vincent Massey High School Vincent Massey High School is a high school in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, and part of the Brandon School Division. The school opened in 1960 and it currently has more than 1100 students. The school is named for former Governor General of Canada V ...
,
Brandon Brandon may refer to: Names and people *Brandon (given name), a male given name *Brandon (surname), a surname with several different origins Places Australia *Brandon, a farm and 19th century homestead in Seaham, New South Wales *Brandon, Q ...
* : Vincent Massey Collegiate,
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
* :
Vincent Massey Elementary School Vincent ( la, Vincentius) is a male given name derived from the Roman name Vincentius, which is derived from the Latin word (''to conquer''). People with the given name Artists *Vincent Apap (1909–2003), Maltese sculptor *Vincent van Gogh ...
, St. Andrews * : Vincent Massey Public School,
Bowmanville Bowmanville is a town of approximately 40,000 people located in the Municipality of Clarington, Ontario, Clarington, Regional Municipality of Durham, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately east of Toronto, and east of Oshawa along ...
* : Vincent Massey Public School,
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
(closed) * :
Vincent Massey Collegiate Institute Vincent Massey Collegiate Institute (Vincent Massey, VMCI, or Massey) is a Toronto District School Board facility that was previously operated as public secondary school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was operated by the Etobicoke Board of Educ ...
,
Etobicoke Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district of, and one of six municipalities amalgamated into, the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west-end, Etobicoke was first settled by Europeans in the 1790s, and the municipalit ...
(closed) * : Vincent Massey Public School,
Etobicoke Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district of, and one of six municipalities amalgamated into, the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west-end, Etobicoke was first settled by Europeans in the 1790s, and the municipalit ...
* : Vincent Massey Public School,
Etobicoke Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district of, and one of six municipalities amalgamated into, the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west-end, Etobicoke was first settled by Europeans in the 1790s, and the municipalit ...
(closed) * : Vincent Massey School,
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...
* : Vincent Massey Public School, North Bay * : Vincent Massey Public School,
Oshawa Oshawa ( , also ; 2021 population 175,383; CMA 415,311) is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately east of Downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the G ...
* : Vincent Massey Public School,
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
* : Vincent Massey School,
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
* :
Massey College Massey College is a graduate residential college at the University of Toronto that was established, built and partially endowed in 1962 by the Massey Foundation and officially opened in 1963, though women were not admitted until 1974. It was mo ...
,
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
,
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
* :
Vincent Massey Secondary School Vincent Massey Secondary School, commonly known as Massey, is a public high school located in the South Windsor neighbourhood in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The school is under the jurisdiction of the Greater Essex County District School Board, on ...
,
Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
* : Vincent Massey Collegiate,
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
* :
Vincent Massey Elementary School Vincent ( la, Vincentius) is a male given name derived from the Roman name Vincentius, which is derived from the Latin word (''to conquer''). People with the given name Artists *Vincent Apap (1909–2003), Maltese sculptor *Vincent van Gogh ...
, Saint-Hubert * : Massey-Vanier High School,
Cowansville Cowansville is a town in south-central Quebec, Canada, located on Lac Davignon north of the U.S. border. It is the seat of Brome-Missisquoi, a regional county municipality. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 15,234. In recent yea ...
* : Vincent Massey Community School, Prince Albert * : ''Ecole'' Massey School, Regina * : Vincent Massey School,
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
* : Vincent Massey Public School,
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
Ships * CCGS Vincent Massey (acquired on October 17th, 2022) Civic structures * : Massey Road, Canton


Arms


List of works

* * * * * * * * * * * * *


Electoral record


See also

*
Diplomatic corps The diplomatic corps (french: corps diplomatique) is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body. The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission ( am ...
*
Massey Foundation The Massey Foundation was incorporated in 1918. It is responsible for the construction of many Toronto landmarks. It was the first trust of its kind in Canada. History In 1896, Hart Massey, an industrialist who built the Massey-Harris farm equi ...


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * * *


External links


Parliament of Canada biography


*
Archives of Ontario: Birth certificate for Vincent Massey


* ttps://discoverarchives.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/massey-family-fonds Massey Family archival papersheld at th
University of Toronto Archives and Records Management ServicesMassey family fonds, Library and Archives Canada
{{DEFAULTSORT:Massey, Vincent 1887 births 1967 deaths Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford Ambassadors of Canada to the United States Bailiffs Grand Cross of the Order of St John Canadian Anglicans Canadian Army officers Canadian Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour Canadian members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Canadian military personnel of World War I Canadian monarchists Candidates in the 1925 Canadian federal election Chancellors of the University of Toronto Chief Scouts of Canada Companions of the Order of Canada Converts to Anglicanism from Methodism Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada Governors General of Canada High Commissioners of Canada to the United Kingdom Liberal Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons
Vincent Massey Charles Vincent Massey (February 20, 1887December 30, 1967) was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Confederation. Massey was the first governor general of Canada who was born in Canada after ...
Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada Military personnel from Toronto People from Northumberland County, Ontario People from Old Toronto Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada) St. Andrew's College (Aurora) alumni Canadian Militia officers The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada soldiers University of Toronto alumni