Career
He hailed from Tjønneland in Gaular, but moved to Bergen in 1890. He worked as a mason and chaired the local Labour Party branch, the masons" trade union and the newspaper Arbeidet. He stood for parliamentary elections several times.
In 1909 he ran as Labour"s deputy candidate in the constituency Nygaard, but lost.
The same thing happened in 1912. However, in the subsequent runoff, he entered as the running mate of Johan Samuelsen.
In 1921 Samuelsen headed the ballot of the new Social Democratic Labour Party. Tjønneland was listed on fourth place.
In 1924 Tjønneland was the ninth candidate.
The Social Democratic Labour Party reunited with Labour in 1927. He was the father of later Mayor of Bergen, Knut Tjønneland.
