# Lester Burry

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**Lester Leeland Burry** [OC](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_Canada) (July 12, 1898 – August 31, 1977) was a Canadian [United Church](/source/United_Church_of_Canada) minister and politician from [Newfoundland](/source/Newfoundland_and_Labrador). Originally from [Bonavista Bay](/source/Bonavista_Bay), Burry spent much of his ministry in [Labrador](/source/Labrador). In 1946, Burry became Labrador's first ever elected official when he was elected to represent the region in the [Newfoundland National Convention](/source/Newfoundland_National_Convention). A supporter of Confederation with [Canada](/source/Canada), Burry was one of the delegates sent to [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa) to negotiate the Terms of Union.

## Early life and ministry

Burry was born on July 12, 1898 in [Safe Harbour, Bonavista Bay](/source/Safe_Harbour,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) to Stephen Burry and Marie (née Bourne).[1] He grew up in a [Methodist](/source/Methodism) family who pursued the [Labrador](/source/Labrador) summer cod fishery.[2] He studied Arts and Theology at [Mount Allison University](/source/Mount_Allison_University) and graduated with a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) degree in 1923. Burry subsequently returned to Newfoundland and became ordained as a Methodist minister at [Gower Street Methodist Church](/source/Gower_Street_United_Church) in [St. John's](/source/St._John's,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) in 1924.[3] The Newfoundland Conference of the Methodist Church would join the [United Church of Canada](/source/United_Church_of_Canada) in 1925.

At the beginning of his ministry, Burry was assigned to the parish in [St. Anthony](/source/St._Anthony,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador). While there, he met local school teacher Amelia Marie Penney, and they were married on September 4, 1928. He also befriended fellow missionary Sir [Wilfred Grenfell](/source/Wilfred_Grenfell) who encouraged him to consider moving to Labrador.[3] After briefly serving the United parishes in [Curling](/source/Curling,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) and [Little Bay Islands](/source/Little_Bay_Islands), Burry would take Grenfell's advice, and in 1931, he accepted a three year term at the [Hamilton Inlet](/source/Hamilton_Inlet) mission based in [North West River, Labrador](/source/North_West_River,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador), which then covered most of the far-flung coastal communities of the region.[2]

In administering his parish, Burry travelled by his self-designed boat *Glad Tidings* or by dog sled in the winter. It would take Burry seven weeks to visit all of the members in his congregation, many of whom were trappers working inland who were far from their families. In 1937, Burry obtained a radio transmitter from the [American](/source/United_States) air base in [Goose Bay](/source/Happy_Valley-Goose_Bay) and set up a broadcast station which, in addition to airing Sunday services, would connect Labrador families to their wayward husbands and fathers.[2][4]

## Politics

In 1945, the [Newfoundland National Convention](/source/Newfoundland_National_Convention) was convened to determine the political future of the [Dominion of Newfoundland](/source/Dominion_of_Newfoundland), which was then under a [British](/source/United_Kingdom)-led [Commission of Government](/source/Newfoundland_Commission_of_Government). Labrador, which had not previously elected a member to the [House of Assembly](/source/Newfoundland_and_Labrador_House_of_Assembly), was given a seat at the convention. Burry was elected as Labrador's delegate in 1946, making him the first politician to have ever been elected to represent the region.[3]

Burry was a supporter of [Joey Smallwood](/source/Joey_Smallwood)'s motion for Confederation with [Canada](/source/Canada). He cited the need to improve Labrador's standard of living and advocated for an interdenominational school system as well as the development of agricultural and mining industries there.[2][3] In 1947, he was one of the six delegates who travelled to [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa) to negotiate the Dominion's potential Terms of Union with the country.

## Post-Confederation

After Newfoundland joined Canada, Burry resumed his ministry in the Hamilton Inlet mission. In 1955, he visited [Israel](/source/Israel) and [Palestine](/source/Palestine) on a pilgrimage funded by the MacPherson Family Trust Fund.[1] Although Smallwood vetted him as the [Liberal](/source/Liberal_Party_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) candidate for the district of [Labrador North](/source/Lake_Melville_(electoral_district)) in the [1956 provincial election](/source/1956_Newfoundland_general_election), Burry declined to return to politics.[2]

After twenty six years, Burry left Hamilton Inlet and spent the last two years of his ministry in [Clarke's Beach](/source/Clarke's_Beach) before retiring in 1959 to briefly serve as the President of the Newfoundland Conference of the United Church.[4] He died in St. John's on August 31, 1977.[2]

## References

1. Thoms, James (1968). [*Newfoundland and Labrador Who's Who Centennial Edition 1967-1968*](https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/cns_tools/id/35571). [St. John's, NL](/source/St._John's,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador): E. C. Boone Advertising Ltd. pp. 36–37. Retrieved 7 November 2025.

1. ["United Church Archives - Rev. Dr. Lester Burry Photograph Collection"](https://dai.mun.ca/digital/lesterburry/). *[Memorial University of Newfoundland](/source/Memorial_University_of_Newfoundland) Digital Archives Initiative (DAI)*. Centre for Newfoundland Studies. Retrieved 7 November 2025.

1. ["Lester Burry"](https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/politics/biography-lester-burry.php). *Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador*. [Memorial University of Newfoundland](/source/Memorial_University_of_Newfoundland). Retrieved 7 November 2025.

1. Gordon Murray, Ettie (1981). ["Burry, Rev. Dr. Lester Leeland"](https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/cns_enl/id/1518). *[Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador), volume 1*. [St. John's](/source/St._John's,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador): Harry Cuff Publications Ltd. Retrieved 4 November 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lester Burry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Burry) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Burry?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.