George William Allan

Canadian lawyer and politician

For the Canadian Member of Parliament born in 1860, see George William Allan (Manitoba politician).

The Honourable

George William Allan

Allan in May 1888

11th Mayor of Toronto
In office
1855–1855
Preceded by| Joshua George Beard
Succeeded by| John Beverley Robinson
Canadian Senator
In office
October 23, 1867 – July 24, 1901
Constituency| York, Ontario
Personal details
Born| (1822-01-09)January 9, 1822
York, Upper Canada
Died| July 24, 1901(1901-07-24) (aged 79)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political party| Conservative
Spouse(s)| Louisa Maud Robinson
Adelaide Schreiber

George William Allan, PC, FRGS, FZS (January 9, 1822 - July 24, 1901), was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the 11th Mayor of Toronto and later as Speaker of the Senate of Canada.

## Life and career

[edit]

Allan attended Upper Canada College and served with the Bank Rifle Corps when it helped put down the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion. He went on to study law and was called to the bar in 1846 when he also married his first wife, Louisa Maud Robinson.

Allan travelled extensively before beginning his law practice. He toured Europe, the Nile River, Syria, the Holy Land, Turkey, and Greece giving him a lifelong appreciation of travel and winning him election to the Royal Geographical Society.

He was a Toronto alderman from 1849 until 1855, when he was elected the 11th Mayor of Toronto. In 1858, he entered national politics representing York on the Legislative Council until Canadian Confederation. In 1867 he was nominated to the Senate of Canada as one of its first members and sat as a Conservative. In 1869 he was appointed government trustee for municipal bond fund of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway. He was chairman of the Standing Committee on Banking and Commerce for many years and was Speaker from 1888 until 1891. He remained in the Upper House until his death in 1901.

Allan's interests included education, science, culture and art. He was the most important patron of the artist, Paul Kane, enabling him to live a life as a professional artist, and presided over such bodies as the Royal Canadian Institute, the Ontario Society of Artists, the Toronto Conservatory of Music and the Ontario Historical Society. He served as chancellor of Trinity College. He donated to the city of Toronto a piece of land which formed the nucleus of Allan Gardens. He was also active in the Synod of the Church of England and was president of the Upper Canada Bible Society. He died in 1901, aged 79, at his residence, Moss Park, in Toronto.

## Family

[edit]

Allan's father was William Allan, of York (Toronto). William Allan was a pioneer who settled what was then the Township of York during John Graves Simcoe's term as governor. William Allan eventually became the city's first postmaster and was appointed to the Legislative Council of Upper Canada. He was a supporter of the Family Compact and was also a member of the Orange Order in Canada.[1]

Allan's mother was Leah Tyrer Gamble, daughter of Dr. John Gamble. She died in Toronto on October I7, 1848, aged 58.[2]

After the death of Allan's first wife, Louisa Robinson, he married Adelaide Schreiber, with whom he had 6 children: George William Allan, Jr., Arthur, Bingham, Maye, Maude, and Audrey.

## Gallery

[edit]

* Allan's mother, Leah

* Moss Park, Allan's residence

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Halpenny, Francess G, ed. (1985). "Allan, William". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. VIII (1851–1860). In collaboration (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
2. ^ Morgan, Henry James, ed. (1903). Types of Canadian Women and of Women who are or have been Connected with Canada. Toronto: Williams Briggs. p. 8.

## External links

[edit]

Archives at

| Location| Trinity College Archives

|

Identifiers| F2077
Source| George William Allan fonds
How to use archival material

Wikimedia Commons has media related to George William Allan.

*   * George William Allan – Parliament of Canada biography
* Speakers of the Senate biography[permanent dead link‍]

Professional and academic associations

Preceded by

Sir John Beverley Robinson

|  President of the Royal Canadian Institute | Succeeded by

William Henry Draper

Academic offices

Preceded by

The Hon. John Hillyard Cameron

|  Chancellor of the University of Trinity College
1877–1901  | Succeeded by

Christopher Robinson

* v
* t
* e

Mayors of Toronto

* Mackenzie
* Sullivan
* T. Morrison
* Gurnett
* Powell
* Monro
* Sherwood
* Boulton
* Gurnett
* Bowes
* Beard
* Allan
* Robinson
* Hutchison
* Boulton
* Read
* Wilson
* Bowes
* Medcalf
* Smith
* Harman
* Sheard
* Manning
* Medcalf
* A. Morrison
* Beaty
* McMurrich
* Boswell
* Manning
* W. Howland
* Clarke
* Fleming
* Kennedy
* Fleming
* Shaw
* Macdonald
* O. Howland
* Urquhart
* Coatsworth
* Oliver
* Geary
* Hocken
* Church
* Maguire
* Hiltz
* Foster
* McBride
* Wemp
* Stewart
* Simpson
* McBride
* Robbins
* Day
* Conboy
* R. Saunders
* McCallum
* Lamport
* L. Saunders
* Phillips
* Summerville
* Givens
* Dennison
* Crombie
* Beavis
* Sewell
* Eggleton
* Rowlands
* Hall
* Lastman
* Miller
* Ford
* Tory
* Chow

* v
* t
* e

Speakers of the Senate of Canada

* Cauchon
* J. Ross
* Cauchon
* Botsford
* Cauchon
* Chauveau
* Christie
* Wilmot
* Macpherson
* Botsford
* Macpherson
* Miller
* Plumb
* Allan
* Lacoste
* J. J. Ross
* Pelletier
* Power
* Dandurand
* Kerr
* Landry
* Bolduc
* Bostock
* Hardy
* Blondin
* Foster
* Parent
* Vien
* King
* Beauregard
* Robertson
* Drouin
* White
* Bourget
* Smith
* Deschatelets
* Fergusson
* Lapointe
* Grosart
* Marchand
* Riel
* Charbonneau
* LeBlanc
* Molgat
* Hays
* Kinsella
* Nolin
* Housakos
* Furey
* Gagné

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

Other|

* SNAC

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template