Norman Fitzgerald Uniacke
Encyclopedia
Norman Fitzgerald Uniacke (ca 1777 – December 11, 1846) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Lower Canada
and Nova Scotia
. He represented William-Henry in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
from 1824 to 1825.
He was born, probably in Halifax
, the son of Richard John Uniacke
and Martha Maria Delesdernier. Uniacke was named a lieutenant in the militia in 1796. He was called to the Nova Scotia bar and then went to London
, where he studied at Lincoln’s Inn and was called to the English bar. He was named Attorney General of Lower Canada in 1809. Governor James Henry Craig
, who opposed Uniacke's appointment, suspended him from that post in 1810. Uniacke resumed his duties in 1812 after Craig was replaced by George Prévost
. In 1825, he was named a judge in the Court of King's Bench for Montreal district. He served a judge for Trois-Rivières
district in 1827 during the absence of Pierre-Stanislas Bédard
. Uniacke also served as justice of the peace
. He married Sophie Delesdernier in 1829. He retired from the bench in 1834 and returned to Nova Scotia. He was named to the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia
in 1838. Uniacke died in Halifax.
His brothers James Boyle
and Richard John, Jr.
served in the Nova Scotia provincial assembly. James Boyle was also the first Premier of Nova Scotia.
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
and Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. He represented William-Henry in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
from 1824 to 1825.
He was born, probably in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, the son of Richard John Uniacke
Richard John Uniacke
Richard John Uniacke was a lawyer, politician, member of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly and Attorney General of Nova Scotia....
and Martha Maria Delesdernier. Uniacke was named a lieutenant in the militia in 1796. He was called to the Nova Scotia bar and then went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he studied at Lincoln’s Inn and was called to the English bar. He was named Attorney General of Lower Canada in 1809. Governor James Henry Craig
James Henry Craig
General Sir James Henry Craig KB was a British military officer and colonial administrator.-Early life and military service:...
, who opposed Uniacke's appointment, suspended him from that post in 1810. Uniacke resumed his duties in 1812 after Craig was replaced by George Prévost
George Prevost
Sir George Prévost, 1st Baronet was a British soldier and colonial administrator. Born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the eldest son of Swiss French Augustine Prévost, he joined the British Army as a youth and became a captain in 1784. Prévost served in the West Indies during the French Revolutionary...
. In 1825, he was named a judge in the Court of King's Bench for Montreal district. He served a judge for Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Trois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour...
district in 1827 during the absence of Pierre-Stanislas Bédard
Pierre-Stanislas Bédard
Pierre-Stanislas Bédard was a lawyer, judge, journalist and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Charlesbourg in 1762, descended from French ancestors who had first arrived in New France before 1660. He studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec, articled in law and was called to the bar...
. Uniacke also served as justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. He married Sophie Delesdernier in 1829. He retired from the bench in 1834 and returned to Nova Scotia. He was named to the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia
Legislative Council of Nova Scotia
The Legislative Council of Nova Scotia was the upper house of the government of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It existed from 1838 to May 31, 1928...
in 1838. Uniacke died in Halifax.
His brothers James Boyle
James Boyle Uniacke
James Boyle Uniacke led the first responsible government in Canada or any colony of the British Empire...
and Richard John, Jr.
Richard John Uniacke, Jr.
Richard John Uniacke was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Cape Breton County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1820 to 1830....
served in the Nova Scotia provincial assembly. James Boyle was also the first Premier of Nova Scotia.