Angus Bonnycastle
Encyclopedia
Angus Lorne Bonnycastle (November 3, 1873 – September 9, 1941) was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1907 to 1911, as a member of the Conservative Party
. A member of the Bonnycastle family
, his great-grandfather, Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle, was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Engineers, and supervised building in Kingston, Ontario
, Saint John, New Brunswick
, and other Canadian cities.
Angus Bonnycastle was born in Campbellford
, Ontario
, and educated there. He moved to Manitoba in 1893, was called to the Bar in 1905, and worked as a barrister. In religion, Bonnycastle was a member of the Church of England
.
In 1902, Angus Bonnycastle married Ellen Mary Boulton, the daughter of Charles Arkall Boulton, a member of the Canadian Senate
. They had six children. Son, Richard
, was a Manitoba fur trader, adventurer, lawyer and a publisher who founded Harlequin Enterprises, the world's largest publisher of romance novel
s.
Bonnycastle first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the 1903 provincial election
, and lost to Liberal
candidate W. J. Doig by 124 votes in Russell. He ran again in the 1907 election
, and defeated new Liberal candidate T. A. Wright by nine votes. The Conservatives won the election, and Bonnycastle served as a government backbencher. He was re-elected by eight votes in the 1910 election
, and resigned from the legislature in 1911.
Despite being forty years old, Angus Bonnycastle volunteered to serve overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force
during World War I
. As a Lieutenant-Colonel, he led the Canadian Army's 207th Battalion. At the end of the war, he was appointed a county court judge in Dauphin, Manitoba
, a position held until his death there in 1941.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, 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...
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1907 to 1911, as a member of the Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
. A member of the Bonnycastle family
Bonnycastle family
The Bonnycastle family of Canada:* Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle , British soldier* Henry William John Bonnycastle , lawyer, militiaman, farmer, councillor, artist* Angus L. Bonnycastle , lawyer, politician, judge...
, his great-grandfather, Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle, was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Engineers, and supervised building 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...
, Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, and other Canadian cities.
Angus Bonnycastle was born in Campbellford
Campbellford, Ontario
Campbellford is a small town in Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada, in the municipality of Trent Hills.Located at , Campbellford lies approximately midway between Toronto and Ottawa. It is situated on both the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Trans Canada Trail. It can be reached from Highway...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and educated there. He moved to Manitoba in 1893, was called to the Bar in 1905, and worked as a barrister. In religion, Bonnycastle was a member of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
In 1902, Angus Bonnycastle married Ellen Mary Boulton, the daughter of Charles Arkall Boulton, a member of 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...
. They had six children. Son, Richard
Richard H. G. Bonnycastle
Richard Henry Gardyn Bonnycastle was a Canadian lawyer, fur trader, adventurer, and a businessman who helped found and then owned the romance novel publishing company, Harlequin Enterprises....
, was a Manitoba fur trader, adventurer, lawyer and a publisher who founded Harlequin Enterprises, the world's largest publisher of romance novel
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
s.
Bonnycastle first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the 1903 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1903
Manitoba's general election of July 20, 1903 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a second consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, now led by Premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
, and lost to Liberal
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
candidate W. J. Doig by 124 votes in Russell. He ran again in the 1907 election
Manitoba general election, 1907
Manitoba's general election of March 7, 1907 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a third consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
, and defeated new Liberal candidate T. A. Wright by nine votes. The Conservatives won the election, and Bonnycastle served as a government backbencher. He was re-elected by eight votes in the 1910 election
Manitoba general election, 1910
Manitoba's general election of July 11, 1910 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fourth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin. Roblin's electoral machine won...
, and resigned from the legislature in 1911.
Despite being forty years old, Angus Bonnycastle volunteered to serve overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. As a Lieutenant-Colonel, he led the Canadian Army's 207th Battalion. At the end of the war, he was appointed a county court judge in Dauphin, Manitoba
Dauphin, Manitoba
Dauphin is a small city in Manitoba, Canada, with a population of 7,906 as of 2006. The nearby lake was given the name "Dauphin" by the explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye in 1741 in honour of the heir to the French throne...
, a position held until his death there in 1941.