Strachan Bethune, (November 6, 1821 – March 8, 1910) twice

Bâtonnier In some legal systems, the bâtonnier is the head of the legal profession (the bar). Jersey In Jersey, the Bâtonnier is head of the profession of advocate. The role includes administering the legal aid system for the island (the day-to-day admin ...

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 ...

and the 1st

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

Chancellor of the Diocese of Montreal.

Biography

Born at Burnside Hall,

, Strachan Bethune was the son of the Very Reverend John Bethune, Dean of Montreal and Principal of

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...

, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of William Hallowell (1771–1838), signing partner of the

North West Company The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...

. He was named for his father's mentor

John Strachan John Strachan (; 12 April 1778 – 1 November 1867) was a notable figure in Upper Canada and the first Anglican Bishop of Toronto. He is best known as a political bishop who held many government positions and promoted education from common sch ...

, and he was a great-grandson of the explorer

Alexander Henry the elder Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

. His uncles included

Angus Bethune Angus Bethune may refer to: * Angus Bethune (fur trader) (1783–1858), Canadian fur trader * Angus Bethune (politician) (1908–2004), Australian politician * Angus Bethune, the titular character from the 1995 film, Angus Angus may refer to: M ...

James Gray Bethune James Gray Bethune (April 1, 1793 – October 13, 1841) was born in Upper Canada. He was the son of the Reverend John Bethune of Williamstown, Ontario, the founding Church of Scotland minister for Upper Canada (Ontario). James Gray was from a lar ...

, Bishop

Alexander Neil Bethune Alexander Neil Bethune (August 28, 1800 – February 3, 1879) was a Church of England clergyman and bishop. Early and Family Life The son of the Reverend John Bethune of Williamstown, Ontario, the founding Church of Scotland minister for Upper Ca ...

, The Hon.

Donald Bethune Donald Bethune (July 11, 1802 – June 19, 1869) was a lawyer, judge, entrepreneur and political figure in Upper Canada. He was born in Williamstown in Upper Canada in 1802, the son of Reverend John Bethune. Donald was part of a prominent ...

, Henry Mackenzie (cousin of the Canadian explorer

Sir Alexander Mackenzie Sir Alexander Mackenzie (or MacKenzie, gd, Alasdair MacCoinnich; – 12 March 1820) was a Scottish explorer known for accomplishing the first crossing of America north of Mexico in 1793. The Mackenzie River is named after him. Early life ...

) and The Hon. John Kirby. He studied law at

and was called to the Bar of Lower Canada in 1843. He joined what was then Montreal's most prestigious law firm, Meredith &

Dunkin Dunkin may refer to: *Dunking (biscuit) *Dunkin' Dunkin' Donuts LLC, also known as Dunkin' and by the initials DD, is an American multinational coffee and doughnut company, as well as a quick service restaurant. It was founded by Bill Rosen ...

, at the same time that his future brother-in-law (the future

Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority the elected Hou ...

)

Sir John Abbott Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott (March 12, 1821 – October 30, 1893) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the third prime minister of Canada from 1891 to 1892. He held office as the leader of the Conservative Party. Abbot ...

was serving his clerkship there. In 1849, when Meredith was appointed a Judge at

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...

, Dunkin later left too. Bethune was later joined by his son, Meredith Blenkarne Bethune (1846–1907), forming the firm Bethune & Bethune. He was appointed

Queen's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of ...

in 1864. He was twice appointed

(1859 and 1862) and his name was frequently mentioned when judicial vacancies became available.'Montreal History and Gazetteer to the year 1892' By Rev. J. Douglas Borthwick, John Lovell & Son, Montreal 1892 In 1845, by his father at Christ Church Cathedral,

, he married Maria MacLean Phillips (1826–1901), the eldest daughter of William Phillips of

, by his wife Henrietta, daughter of Charles Grey Stewart (1775–1854), of Quebec. Mrs Bethune was a niece of William Price and a first cousin of the brothers General Sir

Percy Lake Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Henry Noel Lake, (29 June 1855 – 17 November 1940) served as a senior commander in the British and Indian Armies, and in the Canadian Militia. He served during World War I. Career Lake was the son of Lt.-Colone ...

and Lieutenant-Governor Sir Richard Lake. The Bethunes were the parents of eight children. Their second daughter, Caroline, married Lt.-Col. Hon Keith Turnour-Fetherstonhaugh of

Uppark Uppark is a 17th-century house in South Harting, West Sussex, England. It is a Grade I listed building and a National Trust property. History The house, set high on the South Downs, was built for Ford Grey (1655—1701), the first Earl of ...

, younger brother of

Edward Turnour, 5th Earl Winterton Edward Turnour, 5th Earl Winterton (15 August 1837 – 5 September 1907) was an Irish peer and cricketer. He married Lady Georgiana Susan Hamilton (1841–1913), daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn, by whom he had one son: *Edward ...

References

External links

The Phillips family of Quebec

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bethune, Strachan 1821 births 1910 deaths Lawyers from Montreal Canadian King's Counsel McGill University Faculty of Law alumni