Doctor James Michael Francis McGrath (August 29, 1902 – 1975) was a physician and politician in

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

. He represented St. Mary's in the

Newfoundland House of Assembly The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly () is the Unicameralism, unicameral deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It meets in the Confederation Bu ...

from 1956 to 1971. The son of James Francis McGrath and Mary Aylward, he was born in St. John's,

Colony of Newfoundland Newfoundland was an English overseas possessions, English, and later British, colony established in 1610 on the Newfoundland (island), island of Newfoundland. That followed decades of sporadic English settlement on the island, which was at first ...

and educated at

Saint Bonaventure's College St. Bonaventure's College (commonly called St. Bon's) is an independent kindergarten to grade 12 Roman Catholic Church, Catholic School in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is located in the St. John's Ecclesiastical District, adj ...

and the

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) () is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called '' constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under the Irish Universities Act 1908, and signifi ...

. McGrath also pursued post-graduate studies at

Kentucky State University Kentucky State University (KSU, and KYSU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Frankfort, Kentucky. Founded in 1886 as the State Normal School for Colored Persons, and becoming a land-grant college in 1890, KSU is the second ...

. In 1931, he married Anita Marie Kearney. McGrath was medical officer at St. Mary's Bay from 1928 to 1938; he also served as local

stipendiary magistrate Stipendiary magistrates were magistrates that were paid for their work (they received a stipend). They existed in the judiciaries of the United Kingdom and those of several former British territories, where they sat in the lowest-level criminal ...

from 1928 to 1935. He was director of the Avalon Health Unit at

Harbour Grace Harbour Grace is a town in Conception Bay on the Avalon Peninsula in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. With roots dating back to the 16th century, it is one of the oldest towns in North America. It is located about northwest of ...

from 1938 to 1943 and Assistant Deputy Minister of Health for Newfoundland from 1943 to 1956. He was first elected to the Newfoundland assembly in 1956. He served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Health and as Minister of Finance. McGrath retired from politics in 1971. He published a book of poems privately before he died in 1975.

References

1902 births 1975 deaths Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador MHAs Members of the Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Physicians from Newfoundland and Labrador 20th-century members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly {{Newfoundland-politician-stub