Denton Massey
The Rev. Denton Massey | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Greenwood | |
| In office 1935–1949 | |
| Preceded by | Riding established |
| Succeeded by | John McMillin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 20, 1900 Toronto, Ontario |
| Died | January 25, 1984 (aged 83) |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Children | Elizabeth Massey Breithaupt (1923-2013) Walter Edward Hart Massey (1928-2014) |
| Occupation | Engineer, minister |
Denton Massey (June 20, 1900 – January 25, 1984) was a Canadian engineer, Anglican priest and politician.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, son of Walter Edward Massey (and Susan Marie Denton Massey) and the grandson of the founder of the Massey agricultural manufacturing company, Hart Massey, he attended St. Andrew's College in Aurora, Ontario and the University of Toronto, where he became a member of The Kappa Alpha Society, before attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received a degree in engineering in 1923.
Massey was the founder of the York Bible Class which attracted thousands of young people in the 1920s. His religious programs were broadcast on Toronto radio stations both before and after World War II.
He served in the Canadian House of Commons as a Conservative MP for the Toronto riding of Greenwood from 1935 to 1949 and was, in 1938, an unsuccessful candidate at the Conservative leadership convention.
Massey joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940 and reached the rank of Group Captain. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his efforts during the war in 1946.
After leaving politics, Massey became a priest. He served at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Point Edward, Ontario from 1960 to 1963 and the Church of the Holy Saviour in Waterloo, Ontario from 1963 to 1970.
Massey was a cousin of Canadian Governor General Vincent Massey and actor Raymond Massey. He was also a cousin of Canadian philosopher George Grant and 21st century Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff. His son was actor Walter Massey.