Alexander Campbell (Canadian politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Alexander Campbell, PC
, KCMG, QC
(March 9, 1822 – May 24, 1892) was an English
-born, Canadian
statesman and politician, and a father of Canadian Confederation
.
Born in Hedon
, Yorkshire
, he was brought to Canada
by his father, who was a doctor, when he was one year old. He was educated in French
at St. Hyacinthe in Quebec
and in the grammar school at Kingston, Ontario
. Campbell studied law and was called to the bar in 1843. He became a partner in John A. Macdonald
's law office.
He was elected to the Legislative Council
in 1858 and 1864, attended the Quebec City Conference in 1864
, and at Confederation was appointed to the Canadian Senate
. He later held a number of ministerial posts in the Cabinet of Sir John A. Macdonald
and was the sixth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
from 1887 to 1892.
In 1855 he married Georgina, daughter of Thomas Sandwith of Beverley, Yorkshire, and a niece of Humphrey Sandwith (1792–1874) of Bridlington
. In 1883 he built his home on Metcalfe Street
, Ottawa, now known as 'Campbell House'. He left two sons (the eldest was Charles Sandwith Campbell
) and three daughters and died in office in Toronto
in 1892 and buried at Cataraqui Cemetery
in Kingston, Ontario
.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, KCMG, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(March 9, 1822 – May 24, 1892) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born, Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
statesman and politician, and a father of Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
.
Born in Hedon
Hedon
Hedon is a small town and civil parish in Holderness in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately east of Hull city centre. It lies to the north of the A1033 road at the crossroads of the B1240 and B1362 roads....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, he was brought to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
by his father, who was a doctor, when he was one year old. He was educated in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
at St. Hyacinthe in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and in the grammar school at Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
. Campbell studied law and was called to the bar in 1843. He became a partner in John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
's law office.
He was elected to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the province of Ontario...
in 1858 and 1864, attended the Quebec City Conference in 1864
Quebec Conference, 1864
The Quebec Conference was the second meeting held in 1864 to discuss Canadian Confederation.The 16 delegates from the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island had agreed at the close of the Charlottetown Conference to meet again at Quebec City October 1864...
, and at Confederation was appointed to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
. He later held a number of ministerial posts in the Cabinet of Sir John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
and was the sixth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
from 1887 to 1892.
In 1855 he married Georgina, daughter of Thomas Sandwith of Beverley, Yorkshire, and a niece of Humphrey Sandwith (1792–1874) of Bridlington
Bridlington
Bridlington is a seaside resort, minor sea fishing port and civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It has a static population of over 33,000, which rises considerably during the tourist season...
. In 1883 he built his home on Metcalfe Street
Metcalfe Street
Metcalfe Street is a downtown arterial road in Ottawa, Canada. It is named for Charles Theophilus Metcalfe, a nineteenth century Governor General of the Province of Canada. It is a north-south route, operating one way northbound, providing a key thoroughfare from Highway 417...
, Ottawa, now known as 'Campbell House'. He left two sons (the eldest was Charles Sandwith Campbell
Charles Sandwith Campbell
Charles Sandwith Campbell K.C., LL.D. was a benefactor who gave the City of Montreal the Campbell Concerts and Campbell Parks. He was a Governor of McGill University.- Biography :...
) and three daughters and died in office in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1892 and buried at Cataraqui Cemetery
Cataraqui Cemetery
The Cataraqui Cemetery, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, is the city's largest with over 46,000 interments and growing. The Cemetery is most noted as being the burial site of Canada's first prime minister and a Father of Confederation, Sir John A. Macdonald...
in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
.