Sir Lewis Edward Emerson (May 12, 1890 – May 19, 1949) was a lawyer, judge and political figure 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

Placentia East Placentia may refer to: * Palace of Placentia, an English royal palace * Placentia, Italy, a Roman city known today as Piacenza * Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ** Placentia Bay, body of water * Placentia, California, United States * ...

from 1928 to 1932 and St. John's East from 1932 to 1934 in the

Newfoundland and Labrador 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 ...

. He was born in St. John's, the son of George Henry Emerson. He was educated at St. Patrick's Hall, 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 at

Ampleforth College Ampleforth College is a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, fee-charging boarding and day school in the English Public school (United Kingdom), public school tradition. It opened in 1803 as a boys' school. It is near the villa ...

in England. Emerson was called to the bar in 1913 and practised in St. John's. He served in the

dominion A dominion was any of several largely self-governance, self-governing countries of the British Empire, once known collectively as the ''British Commonwealth of Nations''. Progressing from colonies, their degrees of self-governing colony, colon ...

's cabinet as a

minister without portfolio A minister without portfolio is a government minister without specific responsibility as head of a government department. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet with decision-making authorit ...

in 1924, as Minister of Justice from 1932 to 1934. In the

Commission of Government The Commission of Government was a non-elected body that governed the Dominion of Newfoundland from 1934 to 1949. Established following the collapse of Newfoundland's economy during the Great Depression, it was dissolved when the dominion became ...

he was Commissioner of Defence from 1940 to 1944 and Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General from 1937 to 1940. In 1944, he was knighted. He was

Chief Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador The Court of Appeal of Newfoundland and Labrador is at the top of the hierarchy of courts for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Court of Appeal derives its powers and jurisdiction from the Court of Appeal Act. The independe ...

from 1944 to 1949, thus being the first Chief Justice of the new province of Newfoundland and Labrador when the Dominion of Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949. He died in St. John's in 1949.

References

Canadian Knights Bachelor 20th-century members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly 1890 births 1949 deaths Members of the Newfoundland Commission of Government Dominion of Newfoundland judges Government ministers of the Dominion of Newfoundland Attorneys-general of the Dominion of Newfoundland People educated at Ampleforth College {{Newfoundland-politician-stub