George William Allan
Encyclopedia
George William Allan, (January 9, 1822 – July 24, 1901) was a Canadian
politician
. His mother Leah Tyrer, daughter of Dr. John Gamble, married Hon. William Allan, of York (Toronto), U.C. Allan's father, William, was a pioneer
who settled what was then the Township of York
during John Graves Simcoe
's term as Governor
. William Allan
eventually became the city's first postmaster and was appointed to the Legislative Council of Upper Canada
and was a supporter of the Family Compact
.
George William Allan attended Upper Canada College
and served with the Bank Rifle Corps when it helped put down the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion
. He went on to study law and was called to the bar in 1846 when he also married his first wife, Lousia Maud Robinson.
Allan travelled extensively before beginning his law practice. He toured Europe, the Nile River, Syria
, the Holy Land
, Turkey
and Greece
giving him a lifelong appreciation of travel and winning him election to the Royal Geographic Society.
He was a Toronto
alderman
from 1849 until 1855, when he was elected the 11th Mayor of Toronto. In 1858, he entered national politics representing York
on the Legislative Council
until Canadian Confederation
. In 1867 he was nominated to the Canadian Senate
as one of its first members and sat as a Conservative. In 1869 he was appointed government trustee for municipal bond fund of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
. He was chairman of the Standing Committee on Banking and Commerce for many years and was Speaker
from 1888 until 1891. He remained in the Upper House
until his death in 1901.
Allan's interests included education, science, culture and art. He held a large collection of paintings by Paul Kane
and presided over such bodies as the Royal Canadian Institute
, the Ontario Society of Artists, the Toronto Conservatory of Music
and the Ontario Historical Society. He served as chancellor of Trinity College
. He donated to the city of Toronto a piece of land which formed the nucleus of Allan Gardens
. He was also active in the Synod
of the Church of England
, and was president of the Upper Canada Bible Society. He died in 1853, aged 83 at his residence, Moss Park, in Toronto.
After the death of his first wife, he married Adelaide Schreiber, with whom he had 5 children: Arthur, Bingham, Maye, Maude, and Audrey.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician
Politics of Canada
The politics of Canada function within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is head of state...
. His mother Leah Tyrer, daughter of Dr. John Gamble, married Hon. William Allan, of York (Toronto), U.C. Allan's father, William, was a pioneer
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
who settled what was then the Township of York
York, Ontario
York is a dissolved municipality in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is located northwest of Old Toronto, southwest of North York and east of Etobicoke, where it is bounded by the Humber River. Formerly a separate city, it was one of six municipalities that amalgamated in 1998 to form...
during 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...
's term as Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
. William Allan
William Allan (banker)
William Allan JP was a Canadian banker, businessman and politician.Allan was born at Moss, near Huntly, Scotland around 1770. He came to Canada around 1787 to work with Forsyth, Richardson and Company and settled at Niagara a year later. In 1795, he moved to York...
eventually became the city's first postmaster and was appointed to the Legislative Council of Upper Canada
Legislative Council of Upper Canada
The Legislative Council of Upper Canada was the upper house governing the province of Upper Canada. Modelled after the British House of Lords, it was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was specified that the council should consist of at least seven members. Members were appointed for...
and was a supporter of the Family Compact
Family Compact
Fully developed after the War of 1812, the Compact lasted until Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1841. In Lower Canada, its equivalent was the Château Clique. The influence of the Family Compact on the government administration at different levels lasted to the 1880s...
.
George William Allan attended Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
and served with the Bank Rifle Corps when it helped put down the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
. He went on to study law and was called to the bar in 1846 when he also married his first wife, Lousia Maud Robinson.
Allan travelled extensively before beginning his law practice. He toured Europe, the Nile River, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
giving him a lifelong appreciation of travel and winning him election to the Royal Geographic Society.
He was a 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...
alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
from 1849 until 1855, when he was elected the 11th Mayor of Toronto. In 1858, he entered national politics representing 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'...
on the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the province of Ontario...
until Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
. In 1867 he was nominated to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
as one of its first members and sat as a Conservative. In 1869 he was appointed government trustee for municipal bond fund of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
Toronto and Nipissing Railway
The Toronto and Nipissing Railway was chartered in 1868 to build a narrow gauge railway in Ontario, Canada from Toronto to Lake Nipissing, via York, Ontario, and Victoria Counties. It opened in 1871, with service between Scarborough and Uxbridge. By December 1872 it was extended to Coboconk...
. He was chairman of the Standing Committee on Banking and Commerce for many years and was Speaker
Speaker of the Canadian Senate
The Speaker of the Senate of Canada is the presiding officer of the Senate of Canada. The speaker represents the Senate at official functions, rules on questions of parliamentary procedure and parliamentary privilege, and oversee debates and voting in the red chamber. This position is often...
from 1888 until 1891. He remained in the Upper House
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
until his death in 1901.
Allan's interests included education, science, culture and art. He held a large collection of paintings by Paul Kane
Paul Kane
Paul Kane was an Irish-born Canadian painter, famous for his paintings of First Nations peoples in the Canadian West and other Native Americans in the Oregon Country....
and presided over such bodies as the Royal Canadian Institute
Royal Canadian Institute
The Royal Canadian Institute, or RCI, is an organization dedicated to the advancement of science.First formed in 1849 by Sir Sandford Fleming, it was originally conceived of as an organization for engineers and surveyors, but quickly became more general in its scientific interests. Incorporated in...
, the Ontario Society of Artists, the Toronto Conservatory of Music
Royal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music is a music school and performance venue in Toronto, Canada. Other uses of the term include:*The Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain*The Royal Academy of Music, London, United Kingdom...
and the Ontario Historical Society. He served as chancellor of Trinity College
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
. He donated to the city of Toronto a piece of land which formed the nucleus of Allan Gardens
Allan Gardens
Allan Gardens is one of the oldest parks in Toronto, Canada. It has a conservatory , a playground and two fenced off-leash areas for dogs. It is operated by Toronto Parks who also run Centennial Park Conservatory...
. He was also active in the Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, and was president of the Upper Canada Bible Society. He died in 1853, aged 83 at his residence, Moss Park, in Toronto.
Family
His mother Mrs. Leah Tyrer Allan, the daughter of Dr. John Gamble, died at Toronto, October I7th, 1848, aged 58.After the death of his first wife, he married Adelaide Schreiber, with whom he had 5 children: Arthur, Bingham, Maye, Maude, and Audrey.