H. B. Clyde Lake
H.B. Clyde Lake is remembered for his vision and commitment to the fishing industry in Newfoundland. His legacy is also as a politician, and community leader.
Clyde Lakes’ primary business ventures focused on importing and exporting salt fish. In 1948, H. B. Lake Ltd. became Newfoundland’s largest salt fish exporting firm. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the company acquired a number of processing plants in Gaultis, Burgeo, Bonavista, Fortune and Englee. In 1984, the processing plants of the reorganized Lake Group of Companies were acquired by Fishery Products International.
Clyde Lake was a pioneer in introducing research and development to the fishing industry; his vision and commitment to create a vibrant and sustainable fishery industry for the province helped establish the Marine Lab in Logy Bay.
A dedicated politician, Clyde Lake was elected as a member of the House of Assembly for Burin in 1924, and served in the prominent role of Minister of Marine and Fisheries in the Cabinet of Sir Richard Squires in 1928 as a MHA for Burin West.
In the 1920’s, H.B. Clyde Lakes’ efforts in the community were recognized by the government when he was asked to Chair the Earthquake Relief Committee and later, as President of the Permanent Marine Disaster Fund following the Burin Tidal Wave Disaster and sinking of the Sealing Vessel Viking SS.