John Beverley Robinson (February 21, 1821 – June 19, 1896) was a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
politician, lawyer and businessman. He was mayor of
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
and a provincial and federal member of parliament. He was the
fifth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The lieutenant governor of Ontario (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''de l'Ontario'') is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the , who operates distinctly within the province bu ...
between the years 1880–1887.
Biography
He was born in
York, Upper Canada
York was a town and second capital of the colony of Upper Canada. It is the predecessor to the Old Toronto, old city of Toronto (1834–1998). It was established in 1793 by Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe as a "temporary" location for th ...
(later Toronto) in 1821, the son of
Sir John Robinson, an important political figure in
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...
. He attended
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College (UCC) is an elite, all-boys, private school in Toronto, Ontario, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The college is widely described as the country's most prestigious preparatory school, and has produce ...
, where he was a leading
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
er, eventually representing
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
in the inaugural international cricket match, against
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in 1844.
During the
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was an insurrection against the oligarchic government of the British colony of Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) in December 1837. While public grievances had existed for years, it was the rebellion in Lower Canada (p ...
of 1837, Robinson served as aide-de-camp to Sir
Francis Bond Head
Sir Francis Bond Head, 1st Baronet KCH PC (1 January 1793 – 20 July 1875), known as "Galloping Head", was Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada during the rebellion of 1837.
Biography
Head was an officer in the corps of Royal Engineers of ...
. He later studied law and was called to the bar in 1844.
He became an alderman in Toronto at St. Patrick's Ward during the 1850s, including a term as mayor in 1856.
He was also involved in the incorporation of a number of companies in the Toronto area including the Toronto and Georgian Bay Canal Company in 1856. He was elected to the
6th Parliament of the Province of Canada The 6th Parliament of the Province of Canada was in session from 1858 to June 1861. Elections for the Legislative Assembly were held in the Province of Canada in December 1857. Sessions were held in Toronto in 1858 and then in Quebec City from 1859 ...
representing Toronto in 1858. He helped promote the
Northern Railway and served as president from 1862 to 1875. He represented
Algoma in the
House of Commons of Canada
The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada.
The House of Common ...
in 1872 and represented
West Toronto
West Toronto was a federal electoral district represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1867 to 1904. It was located in the city of Toronto, in the province of Ontario. The district was created by the British North America Act of 1867 a ...
in 1878. He was also a member of the
Orange Order in Canada
The Grand Orange Lodge of British America, more commonly known as the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada or simply Orange Order in Canada, is the Canadian branch of the Orange Order, a Protestant fraternal organization that began in County Armagh in Ire ...
.
He briefly lived at The Grange, a house in Springfield,
Toronto Township. Now
Erindale, a community in
Mississauga
Mississauga ( ), historically known as Toronto Township, is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, adjoining the western border of Toronto. With a popul ...
, it is home to
Heritage Mississauga.
He suffered a
stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
while preparing to give a speech at
Massey Hall
Massey Hall is a performing arts theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1894, it is known for its outstanding acoustics and was the long-time hall of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. An intimate theatre, it was originally designed to seat ...
in Toronto and died in 1896.
Family
![Mrs Augusta Louise Houston by Bullingham, London](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Mrs_Augusta_Louise_Houston_by_Bullingham%2C_London.jpg)
Hon. John Beverley Robinson married Mary Jane Hagerman, daughter of Judge
Christopher Alexander Hagerman
Christopher Alexander Hagerman, (28 March 1792 – 14 May 1847) was a Canadian militia officer, lawyer, administrator, politician and judge.
Early life and family
Known during his adult life as 'Handsome Kit', Hagerman was born at the Bay ...
and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of
James Macaulay. Their daughter Minnie Caroline Robinson was born and educated in Toronto. She married, 1881, William Forsyth-Grant, Esquire, formerly Captain of H.M.'s 82nd Regiment, son of William Forsyth, Esquire, of Ecclesgreig Castle, County Kincardine, Scotland, J. P. and D.L., who, in 1842, assumed by Royal licence the additional surname of Grant (Chad-wick). her husband was grandson of
John Forsyth of
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
. She contributed to periodicals and newspapers and authored a travel book "Scenes in Hawaii, or Life in the Sandwich Islands." She served as President of the Woman's Historical Society of Toronto, and was elected President of the Ladies' Relief Society of
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
.
The couple's youngest daughter Augusta Louisa, sang in London at public concerts, in company with other artists, and was also on tour in the Provinces. During John Beverley Robinson's term as Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, 1880–87, his wife Mary Jane Robinson and daughter Augusta Louise dispensed the hospitalities of Government House. She frequently sang at Government House and subsequently took vocal instruction in London, from Randegger, and in Paris, from Laborde. In London she lived with the song composer,
Maude Valérie White
Maude Valérie White (1855 – 1937) was a French-born English composer who became one of the most successful songwriters (in the English serious style) of the Victorian period.
Early years
Although born near Dieppe in Normandy to upper middl ...
.
Augusta Louisa returned to Canada in 1895, and sang on tour with
Emma Albani
Dame Emma Albani, DBE (born Marie-Louise-Emma-Cécile Lajeunesse; 1 November 18473 April 1930) was a Canadian-British operatic soprano of the 19th century and early 20th century, and the first Canadian singer to become an international star. He ...
,
Pol Plançon
Pol Henri Plançon (; 12 June 1851 – 11 August 1914) was a distinguished French operatic bass (''basse chantante''). He was one of the most acclaimed singers active during the 1880s, 1890s and early 20th century—a period often referred to as ...
,
Harry Plunket Greene
Harry Plunket Greene (24 June 1865 – 19 August 1936) was an Irish baritone who was most famous in the formal concert and oratorio repertoire. He wrote and lectured on his art, and was active in the field of musical competitions and examinations ...
, and
Allan James Foley. She married, October 8, 1898, Stewart Fielde Houston, Barrister.
Electoral record
References
Sources
* Adams, P. (2010) ''A history of Canadian cricket'', lulu.com. .
*
External links
*
*Robinson, C. W. (Charles Walker), 1836-1924
''Life of Sir John Beverley Robinson, Bart., Chief-Justice of Upper Canada. With a pref. by George R. Parkin'' 1904, from
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
.
The Honourable John Beverley Robinson (1821–1896) at The Lieutenant Governor of OntarioJohn Beverley Robinson family fonds Archives of Ontario
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, John Beverley
1821 births
1896 deaths
Businesspeople from Toronto
Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) MPs
Cricketers from Ontario
Lieutenant Governors of Ontario
Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from Canada West
Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario
Mayors of Toronto
Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada)
Sportspeople from Toronto
Treasurers of the Law Society of Upper Canada
Upper Canada College alumni