Charles Stanley Monck, 4th Viscount Monck (10 October 1819 – 29 November 1894) was a British politician who served as the last
governor-general
Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
of the
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report ...
and the
first Governor General of Canada
The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...
after
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation () was the process by which three British North American provinces—the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick—were united into one federation, called the Name of Canada#Adoption of Dominion, Dominion of Ca ...
.
Early life

Charles Stanley Monck was born in
Templemore
Templemore () is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is a Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in the historical Barony (Ireland), barony of Eliogarty. It is part of the Ecclesiastical parish, parish of Templemore, Clonmore and Killea i ...
,
County Tipperary
County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...
, Ireland. He was the son of
Charles Monck and his wife Bridget ''née'' Willington. His father was the younger son of
Charles Monck, 1st Viscount Monck and the former Anne Quin. After his grandfather's death in 1802, the viscountcy had been inherited by his father's elder brother,
Henry Monck, who in 1822 was further created Earl of Rathdowne. However, in 1848, Lord Rathdowne died without male heirs (albeit with many daughters), the earldom became extinct, and Monck's father succeeded as 3rd Viscount. His maternal grandparents were John Willington of Killoskehan Castle in
Barnane, and the former Bridget Butler (daughter of Theobald Butler of Knocka Castle in
Drom).
Career
Monck obtained a law degree from
Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...
. He married his cousin Lady Elizabeth Monck (one of Lord Rathdowne's daughters) in 1844, and in 1849 he inherited his father's title as 4th Viscount Monck. In 1852 he was elected
MP for
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
(as an Irish peer, he had no seat in the
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
), and from 1855 to 1858 he served as
Lord of the Treasury under
Lord Palmerston
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865), known as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman and politician who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1855 to 1858 and from 1859 to 1865. A m ...
.
Governor General of Canada
In 1861, he was appointed
Governor General
Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
of
British North America
British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland, then further south at Roanoke and Jamestown, ...
as well as Governor of the
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report ...
. Lord and Lady Monck and their children came to Canada, but they did not remain throughout his term of office as Governor General of Canada. The family resided at
Spencerwood in Quebec during most of their stay in Canada.
During this time, the Canadian colonies were beginning to organise themselves into a confederation. The
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
had just broken out, and the
Trent Affair caused diplomatic tension between the United States and Britain. The Canadian government was eager to gain some measure of independence during this turbulent period. The
Quebec Conference, the
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference (A Conference to discuss the Confederation of Canada) was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, for representatives from colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation. The conference to ...
, and the
London Conference, at which the details of confederation were discussed, all took place during Monck's time as governor. Monck supported the idea, and worked closely with
John A. Macdonald,
George Brown,
George-Étienne Cartier
Sir George-Étienne Cartier, 1st Baronet, (pronounced ; September 6, 1814May 20, 1873) was a Canadians, Canadian statesman and Fathers of Confederation, Father of Confederation.
The English spelling of the name—George, instead of Georges, th ...
, and
Étienne-Paschal Taché
Sir Étienne-Paschal Taché (5 September 1795 – 30 July 1865) was a Canadian medical doctor, politician, and Father of Confederation. His family had a long history in New France, but suffered serious financial reverses due to the Seven Y ...
, who formed the "
Great Coalition" in 1864.
In 1866, Monck was created a
peer of the United Kingdom with the title
Baron Monck, which gave him a seat in the House of Lords. When the Canadian colonies became a semi-independent confederation the next year, Monck became the country's first Governor General. Monck was also responsible for establishing
Rideau Hall as the residence of the Governor General in
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
.
Later life
In 1869, Monck was succeeded by
Sir John Young (later Lord Lisgar). He returned home to Ireland, where he became
Lord Lieutenant of Dublin in 1874.
Personal life

On 23 June 1844, he married Lady Elizabeth Louise Mary Monck, his first cousin and the daughter of his uncle
Henry, the 2nd Viscount, who had been made Earl of Rathdowne in 1822. Together, they were the parents of two sons and two daughters:
* Hon. Frances Mary Monck (d. 1930), who married the Rev.
Richard Aslatt Pearce.
[http://www.freebmd.org.uk JUN 1888 1a 773 St Geo Han Sq Richard Aslatt Pearce = Frances Monck]
* Hon. Elizabeth Louise Mary Monck (d. 1913), who married John Macdonald Royse.
*
Henry Power Charles Stanley Monck, 5th Viscount Monck (1849–1927), who married Lady Edith Caroline Sophia Scott, the fourth daughter of John Scott, 3rd
Earl of Clonmell, in 1874.
* Hon. Richard Charles Stanley Mountjoy Monck (1858–1892), who married Alice Ann Lymer in 1879.
Lady Monck died in June 1892, aged 78. He died in November 1894, aged 75.
Arms
References
External links
*
*
* http://www.gg.ca
Photograph: Governor General Monck in 1864. McCord MuseumPhotograph: Lord Monck, Governor General in 1866. McCord Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monck, Charles Stanley Monck, 4th Viscount
1819 births
1894 deaths
Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Members of the Privy Council of Ireland
Governors general of Canada
Governors-general of the Province of Canada
Viscounts in the Peerage of Ireland
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Politicians from County Tipperary
UK MPs 1852–1857
UK MPs who inherited peerages
UK MPs who were granted peerages
Hereditary peers elected to the House of Commons
Lord-lieutenants of Dublin
Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada)
Peers of the United Kingdom created by Queen Victoria
People from Templemore