Sir John Maynard Hedstrom (22 February 1872 – 2 June 1951) was a Fijian businessman and politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Council for over 30 years. Alongside Robert Crompton, Henry Marks and Henry Milne Scott, he was one of the 'big four' that heavily influenced the Fijian economy and political sphere in the first half of the 20th century.

Biography

Maynard Hedstrom was born in Levuka on 22 February 1872,Brij V. Lal (2015) ''Historical Dictionary of Fiji'', Rowman & Littlefield, p109 the son of N.S. Hedstrom, a Swedish shipmaster who was employed as a harbour master.From Clerk to Millionaire Knight
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', August 1946, p36 He was educated at Suva Public School and Wesley College in Australia,Stewart Firth & Daryl Tarte (2001) ''20th Century Fiji: People who shaped this nation'', USP Solutions, pp45–46 before graduating from the University of Melbourne. After returning to Fiji, he initially worked in the post office in

Suva Suva () is the capital and largest city of Fiji. It is the home of the country's largest metropolitan area and serves as its major port. The city is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in Rewa Province, Central Di ...

, before going into business, joining the Union Steamship Company and becoming manager of the Levuka branch. He later became a partner in Brown & Joske and was involved in several other companies before founding the

Morris Hedstrom Morris may refer to: Places Australia *St Morris, South Australia, place in South Australia Canada * Morris Township, Ontario, now part of the municipality of Morris-Turnberry * Rural Municipality of Morris, Manitoba ** Morris, Manito ...

firm with Percy Morris in 1898, which went on to become the country's leading retailer. He became President of the Chamber of Commerce in 1924, a position he held for 23 years. Maynard Hedstrom entered politics in the 1900s, serving as mayor of Levuka in 1905 and 1906. In

1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 46 ...

he was elected to the Legislative Council in the Levuka constituency, defeating the incumbent David Robbie. He was re-elected in 1911, again defeating Robbie. Prior to the 1914 elections, the constituency was reorganised and renamed Eastern. Maynard Hedstrom was returned unopposed and held the seat until the 1937 elections; during this time he was returned unopposed again in 1917, after which he became a member of the

Executive Council Executive Council may refer to: Government * Executive Council (Commonwealth countries), a constitutional organ that exercises executive power and advises the governor * Executive Council of Bern, the government of the Swiss canton of Bern * Ex ...

. He was returned unopposed in 1920, 1929, 1932 and only faced opponents in

1923 Events January–February * January 9 – Lithuania begins the Klaipėda Revolt to annex the Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory). * January 11 – Despite strong British protests, troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area, t ...

and 1926, winning easily on both occasions. He did not contest a seat in the 1937 elections, at which point he also left the Executive Council, but was chosen as one of the two nominated European members on the Legislative Council. However, he resigned in December 1937 after a dispute with the Governor. In the

1922 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1922 were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by members of the British Empire. They were published on 30 December 1921. The recipients of honours are displayed here ...

, Maynard Hedstrom became the first resident of Fiji to be knighted. He was also awarded the

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim. The Order of ...

by the King of Sweden in 1939 after serving as honorary Vice-Consul for Sweden in Suva. In 1936 American botanist

Albert Charles Smith Albert Charles Smith (April 5, 1906 – May 23, 1999) was an American botanist who served as director of the National Museum of Natural History and Arnold Arboretum and was the former president of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists. Life ...

named a genus of flowering plants from Fiji (in the

Rubiaceae The Rubiaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules ...

family) ''

Hedstromia ''Hedstromia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Rubiaceae. It only contains one species, ''Hedstromia latifolia''. It is native to Fiji. The genus name of ''Hedstromia'' honours John Maynard Hedstrom (1872–1951 ...

'' after him. Maynard Hedstrom married Grace Eastgate in 1895."Death of Lady Hedstrom", '' Pacific Islands Monthly'', June 1931, p6 The couple had five children; three sons and two daughters. Grace died on 2 May 1931. Maynard Hedstrom subsequently married Joyce Beauchamp during the 1930s. He died at his home in the Tamavua area of Suva on 2 June 1951 at the age of 79.First Fiji born knight
Fiji Times, 28 October 2018

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maynard Hedstrom, John 1872 births People from Levuka Fijian people of British descent People educated at Wesley College (Victoria) University of Melbourne alumni Fijian civil servants 20th-century Fijian businesspeople Members of the Legislative Council of Fiji Members of the Executive Council of Fiji 1951 deaths People educated at Suva Grammar School