Robert Haythorne

Who was Robert Haythorne?

Robert Poore Haythorne was a Prince Edward Island politician and premier. He was born in England to a prominent family, his father having been mayor of Bristol on several occasions.

Haythorne arrived in Prince Edward Island at the age of 25 and, with his brother, acquired ownership of 10,000 ac of land. When the land question became a major issue in the 1860s Haythorne who had been a progressive farmer and a reformer decided to sell his land to his tenants for $2.00/ac. His former tenants asked him to run for a seat on the legislative council in 1867 and he did so winning the seat as a Liberal. Haythorne joined the Liberal government of George Coles and became Premier in 1869 after Coles retired and his successor, Joseph Hensley accepted a judicial appointment.

Politically, Haythorne became skeptical of Canadian confederation and his government rejected pressure by the British to join Canada because he didn't see confederation as offering a solution to the land question. He favoured reciprocity with the United States as an alternative. Haythorne's majority in the legislature was cut to only four seats as a result of the 1870 election.