Elizabeth Simcoe
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Simcoe was an artist
and diarist
in colonial Canada
. She was the wife of John Graves Simcoe
, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada.
, England
, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel
Thomas Gwillim and Elizabeth Spinckes. Her father died before her birth, and her mother died shortly afterwards. After her baptism
, which was on the same day as her mother's burial, she was taken into the care of her mother's younger sister, Margaret. In commemoration of her mother, Elizabeth was given the middle name Posthuma. Margaret married Admiral Samuel Graves
on June 14, 1769 and she grew up at Graves's estate, Hembury Fort near Honiton
in Devon
.
On December 30, 1782, Elizabeth married John Graves Simcoe
, Admiral Graves' godson. They had four daughters and one son, Francis Simcoe, for whom they named Castle Frank. Katherine Simcoe, their only daughter to be born in Upper Canada, died in childhood of unknown causes; she is buried at Fort York
Garrison.
In 1791 her husband was appointed lieutenant governor of the new province of Upper Canada, and on September 26 the Simcoes with their two youngest children sailed from Weymouth, leaving their four older daughters at Wolford. They arrived at Quebec
on November 11 where they stayed for seven months before departing for the temporary capital Newark
(since re-named Niagara-on-the-Lake). They moved to York
(Toronto
) on July 30, 1793. After a summer at Newark, she took her children to Quebec because of the possibility of war with the United States
. She returned to Upper Canada in the spring of 1795, but the following year her husband was granted leave of absence, and on September 10 they sailed from Quebec, never to return to the Canadas
.
While her husband was at council meetings in Newark, Elizabeth Simcoe spent much of her time in the company of Guy Carleton
(Lord Dorchester) and his wife, Lady Dorchester. In her diary, Simcoe states that, in a span of fifteen days, she attended to four parties at the home of Lord and Lady Dorchester. Elizabeth wrote of another occasion when, in the course of a week, she played cards three times and had tea and biscuits twice with the Lord and Lady Dorchester.
that depict the town of York
. She was responsible for the naming of Scarborough
, an eastern Toronto district, after Scarborough, England. The townships of North
, East and West Gwillimbury
, just south of Lake Simcoe
in central Ontario, are also named for the family.
In December 2007, a statue of Elizabeth Simcoe Gwillim was erected in the town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, while commemorating the 150th anniversary of the town's incorporation. The statue is located in a parkette in front of the Bradford post office at the corner of John Street West and Barrie Street.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and diarist
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
in colonial Canada
Canada under British Imperial Control (1764-1867)
Territories, colonies and provinces that would become part of modern Canada were under control of the English, and later British, Empire from the sixteenth century, when France also had claims in the area. However, the most populous areas of Canada in the St...
. She was the wife of John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe was a British army officer and the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796. Then frontier, this was modern-day southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior...
, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada.
Biography
She was born Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillim in the village of Whitchurch, HerefordshireWhitchurch, Herefordshire
Whitchurch is a village in Herefordshire named after the church of Saint Dubricius which was originally white in colour.Whitchurch is situated on the A40, connecting nearby Ross-on-Wye to Welsh town Monmouth...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Thomas Gwillim and Elizabeth Spinckes. Her father died before her birth, and her mother died shortly afterwards. After her baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
, which was on the same day as her mother's burial, she was taken into the care of her mother's younger sister, Margaret. In commemoration of her mother, Elizabeth was given the middle name Posthuma. Margaret married Admiral Samuel Graves
Samuel Graves
Admiral Samuel Graves RN was a British Admiral who is probably best known for his role early in the American War of Independence.-Military career:Graves joined the Royal Navy in 1732...
on June 14, 1769 and she grew up at Graves's estate, Hembury Fort near Honiton
Honiton
Honiton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe was a British army officer and the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796. Then frontier, this was modern-day southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior...
, Admiral Graves' godson. They had four daughters and one son, Francis Simcoe, for whom they named Castle Frank. Katherine Simcoe, their only daughter to be born in Upper Canada, died in childhood of unknown causes; she is buried at Fort York
Fort York
Fort York is a historic site of military fortifications and related buildings on the west side of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The fort was built by the British Army and Canadian militia troops in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, to defend the settlement and the new capital of the...
Garrison.
In 1791 her husband was appointed lieutenant governor of the new province of Upper Canada, and on September 26 the Simcoes with their two youngest children sailed from Weymouth, leaving their four older daughters at Wolford. They arrived at Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
on November 11 where they stayed for seven months before departing for the temporary capital Newark
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
(since re-named Niagara-on-the-Lake). They moved to York
York, Upper Canada
York was the name of Old Toronto between 1793 and 1834. It was the second capital of Upper Canada.- History :The town was established in 1793 by Governor John Graves Simcoe, with a new 'Fort York' on the site of the last French 'Fort Toronto'...
(Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) on July 30, 1793. After a summer at Newark, she took her children to Quebec because of the possibility of war with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She returned to Upper Canada in the spring of 1795, but the following year her husband was granted leave of absence, and on September 10 they sailed from Quebec, never to return to the Canadas
The Canadas
The Canadas is the collective name for Upper Canada and Lower Canada, two British colonies in Canada. They were both created by the Constitutional Act of 1791 and abolished in 1841 with the union of Upper and Lower Canada....
.
While her husband was at council meetings in Newark, Elizabeth Simcoe spent much of her time in the company of Guy Carleton
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator...
(Lord Dorchester) and his wife, Lady Dorchester. In her diary, Simcoe states that, in a span of fifteen days, she attended to four parties at the home of Lord and Lady Dorchester. Elizabeth wrote of another occasion when, in the course of a week, she played cards three times and had tea and biscuits twice with the Lord and Lady Dorchester.
Legacy
Elizabeth Simcoe left a diary that provides a valuable impression of life in colonial Ontario. First published in 1934, there was a subsequent transcription published in 1965 and a paperback version issued at the turn of the 21st century, more than 200 years after she wrote it. Lady Elizabeth Simcoe's legacy also includes a series of 595 water-colour paintingsWatercolor painting
Watercolor or watercolour , also aquarelle from French, is a painting method. A watercolor is the medium or the resulting artwork in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-soluble vehicle...
that depict the town of York
York, Upper Canada
York was the name of Old Toronto between 1793 and 1834. It was the second capital of Upper Canada.- History :The town was established in 1793 by Governor John Graves Simcoe, with a new 'Fort York' on the site of the last French 'Fort Toronto'...
. She was responsible for the naming of Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
, an eastern Toronto district, after Scarborough, England. The townships of North
Georgina, Ontario
Georgina is a town in south-central Ontario, and the northernmost municipality in the Regional Municipality of York. It forms part of the northern boundary of the Greater Toronto Area and is situated on the southern shores of Lake Simcoe...
, East and West Gwillimbury
Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario
Bradford West Gwillimbury, a town in south-central Ontario, in the County of Simcoe in the Greater Toronto Area on the Holland River. West Gwillimbury takes its name from the family of Elizabeth Simcoe, née Gwillim....
, just south of Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a lake in Southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk by the Huron natives...
in central Ontario, are also named for the family.
In December 2007, a statue of Elizabeth Simcoe Gwillim was erected in the town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, while commemorating the 150th anniversary of the town's incorporation. The statue is located in a parkette in front of the Bradford post office at the corner of John Street West and Barrie Street.