Robert Lyon (duellist)
Encyclopedia
Robert Lyon the son of a British
officer, was the last fatality in Canadian duelling history, shot by a fellow law student, John Wilson
in 1833.
Lyon was born in Inverurie
, Scotland
in 1812 and came to Canada along with his family in 1829.
Initiated by the 20-year old Lyon at the urging of his eventual second Henri Lelievre, the duel
was held over the love of local schoolteacher Elizabeth Hughes, and occurred above the Tay Canal
outside Perth, Ontario
. After Lyon's death, Wilson and his second
Samuel Robertson were both charged with murder
in Brockville, Ontario
, though acquitted. Two years later he married Elizabeth Hughes and they had three children together; he went on to become a judge
and Member of Parliament
before dying in 1869.
The lawyer Wilson had studied under, James Boulton, left Perth after locals began claiming that he had goaded his understudy to push Lyon into the duel, since he was the understudy of Boulton's rival Thomas Radenhurst. Lyon's second, Henri Lelievre, fled the country fearing that some also considered him responsible for the duel, since he had encouraged a second round after both had missed their first shot - and is believed to have died in Australia
.
In 1996, Susan Code wrote A Matter of Honour ISBN 1-896182-27-5, and a year later two students of Sheridan College
oversaw the production of an independent film by the same name, telling the story of the duel. On his 1973 album Stompin' Tom and the Hockey Song, Stompin' Tom Connors
released the song The Last Fatal Duel detailing the battle (though accidentally referring to Lyon as William, not Robert).
Lyon's tombstone in the Anglican cemetery in Perth reads
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
officer, was the last fatality in Canadian duelling history, shot by a fellow law student, John Wilson
John Wilson (Ontario politician)
John Wilson was an Ontario lawyer, judge and political figure. He shot and killed Robert Lyon in what is believed to have been the last duel fought in Ontario and the last fatal duel in Canada....
in 1833.
Lyon was born in Inverurie
Inverurie
Inverurie is a Royal Burgh and town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north west of Aberdeen on the A96 road and is served by Inverurie railway station on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1812 and came to Canada along with his family in 1829.
Initiated by the 20-year old Lyon at the urging of his eventual second Henri Lelievre, the duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
was held over the love of local schoolteacher Elizabeth Hughes, and occurred above the Tay Canal
Tay Canal
The Tay Canal is the portion of the Tay River in the Eastern region of Southern Ontario extending from Beveridge Bay on Lower Rideau Lake to the town of Perth. The canal is 9.8 km in length and is operated today by Parks Canada as part of their Rideau Canal operations...
outside Perth, Ontario
Perth, Ontario
Perth is a town in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada . It is located on the Tay River, 83 km southwest of Ottawa, and is the seat of Lanark County.-History:...
. After Lyon's death, Wilson and his second
Second
The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
Samuel Robertson were both charged with murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
in Brockville, Ontario
Brockville, Ontario
Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Brockville is politically independent and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.Known as the "City of the 1000...
, though acquitted. Two years later he married Elizabeth Hughes and they had three children together; he went on to become a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
before dying in 1869.
The lawyer Wilson had studied under, James Boulton, left Perth after locals began claiming that he had goaded his understudy to push Lyon into the duel, since he was the understudy of Boulton's rival Thomas Radenhurst. Lyon's second, Henri Lelievre, fled the country fearing that some also considered him responsible for the duel, since he had encouraged a second round after both had missed their first shot - and is believed to have died in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
In 1996, Susan Code wrote A Matter of Honour ISBN 1-896182-27-5, and a year later two students of Sheridan College
Sheridan College
Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a diploma and degree granting Canadian polytechnic institute with approximately 15,000 full time students and 35,000 continuing education students...
oversaw the production of an independent film by the same name, telling the story of the duel. On his 1973 album Stompin' Tom and the Hockey Song, Stompin' Tom Connors
Stompin' Tom Connors
Charles Thomas "Stompin' Tom" Connors, OC is one of Canada's most prolific and well-known country and folk singers.He lives in Wellington County, Ontario.- Early life :...
released the song The Last Fatal Duel detailing the battle (though accidentally referring to Lyon as William, not Robert).
Lyon's tombstone in the Anglican cemetery in Perth reads
-
- Friendship Offering,
- Dedicated
- To the Memory of
- ROBERT LYON,
- (Student-at-law)
- He fell
- in mortal combat
- 13 of June 1833
- in the 20th year
- of his Age
- Requieseat in Pace.