Francis Bond Head
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Bond Head, 1st Baronet KCH
PC
(1 January 1793 – 20 July 1875), known as "Galloping Head", was Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada
during the rebellion
of 1837.
from 1811 to 1825, and afterwards attempted to set up a mining company in Argentina
. He married Lady Bond Head (the former Julia Valenza Somerville) in 1816, and they eventually had four children.
Bond Head was born to parents James Roper Mendes Head and Frances Anne Burgess. He was descended from Spanish Jew Fernando Mendes, who accompanied Catherine of Braganza
to England in 1662. His grandfather Moses Mendes married Anna Gabriella Head and took on the Head name following the death of his wife's father.
Bond Head was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada in 1835 in an attempt by the British
government to appease the reformers in the colony, such as William Lyon Mackenzie
, who wanted responsible government
. He appointed reformer Robert Baldwin
to the Executive Council
, though this appointment was opposed by the more radical Mackenzie. In any case he ignored Baldwin's advice, and Baldwin resigned; the Legislative Assembly
then refused to pass any money bills, so Bond Head dissolved the government. In the subsequent election campaign, he appealed to the United Empire Loyalists
of the colony, proclaiming that the reformers were advocating American
republicanism. The Conservative party, led by the wealthy landowners known as the "Family Compact
", won the election.
In December 1837, Mackenzie led a brief and bungled rebellion in Toronto. Bond Head sent the colonial militia to put down the rebellion, which they did within a day. In response to the rebellion, Britain replaced Bond Head as Lieutenant-Governor with Lord Durham. Bond Head returned to England and didn't hold any office for the rest of his life. He settled down on writing books and essays back in Britain
. Bond Head was appointed to the Privy Council
in 1867.
In later life Bond Head lived at Duppas Hall, overlooking Duppas Hill
in Croydon
, where he organised protests against the proposed outlawing of horse-riding in the area.
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(1 January 1793 – 20 July 1875), known as "Galloping Head", was Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
during the rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
of 1837.
Biography
Bond Head was a soldier in the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
from 1811 to 1825, and afterwards attempted to set up a mining company in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. He married Lady Bond Head (the former Julia Valenza Somerville) in 1816, and they eventually had four children.
Bond Head was born to parents James Roper Mendes Head and Frances Anne Burgess. He was descended from Spanish Jew Fernando Mendes, who accompanied Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
to England in 1662. His grandfather Moses Mendes married Anna Gabriella Head and took on the Head name following the death of his wife's father.
Bond Head was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada in 1835 in an attempt by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government to appease the reformers in the colony, such as William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie was a Scottish born American and Canadian journalist, politician, and rebellion leader. He served as the first mayor of Toronto, Upper Canada and was an important leader during the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion.-Background and early years in Scotland, 1795–1820:Mackenzie was...
, who wanted responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
. He appointed reformer Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin was born at York . He, along with his political partner Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, led the first responsible ministry in Canada, regarded by some as the first truly Canadian government....
to the Executive Council
Executive Council of Upper Canada
The Executive Council of Upper Canada had a similar function to the Cabinet in England but was not responsible to the Legislative Assembly. Members of the Executive Council were not necessarily members of the Legislative Assembly but were usually members of the Legislative Council. Members were...
, though this appointment was opposed by the more radical Mackenzie. In any case he ignored Baldwin's advice, and Baldwin resigned; the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
then refused to pass any money bills, so Bond Head dissolved the government. In the subsequent election campaign, he appealed to the United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
of the colony, proclaiming that the reformers were advocating American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
republicanism. The Conservative party, led by the wealthy landowners known as the "Family Compact
Family Compact
Fully developed after the War of 1812, the Compact lasted until Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1841. In Lower Canada, its equivalent was the Château Clique. The influence of the Family Compact on the government administration at different levels lasted to the 1880s...
", won the election.
In December 1837, Mackenzie led a brief and bungled rebellion in Toronto. Bond Head sent the colonial militia to put down the rebellion, which they did within a day. In response to the rebellion, Britain replaced Bond Head as Lieutenant-Governor with Lord Durham. Bond Head returned to England and didn't hold any office for the rest of his life. He settled down on writing books and essays back in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Bond Head was appointed to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
in 1867.
In later life Bond Head lived at Duppas Hall, overlooking Duppas Hill
Duppas Hill
Duppas Hill is a park, road and surrounding residential area in Waddon, near Croydon in Greater London . It is thought to be named after a family called 'Dubber' or 'Double'.Duppas Hill has a long history of sport and recreation...
in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, where he organised protests against the proposed outlawing of horse-riding in the area.
Legacy
- Several places in OntarioOntarioOntario 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....
are named for Bond Head:- An unincorporated area northwest of TorontoTorontoToronto 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 the town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Simcoe County - A capeCape (geography)In geography, a cape or headland is a point or body of land extending into a body of water, usually the sea.A cape usually represents a marked change in trend of the coastline. Their proximity to the coastline makes them prone to natural forms of erosion, mainly tidal actions. This results in capes...
on Lake OntarioLake OntarioLake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
in the municipality of Clarington, Regional Municipality of Durham, to the east of Toronto, which gives its name to a neighbourhood and local park west of the cape and east of the Port of NewcastleNewcastle, OntarioNewcastle is a community in the Municipality of Clarington in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. The Town of Newcastle was also the original name of what is now Clarington....
harbour.
- An unincorporated area northwest of Toronto
- Three streets in the town of Oakville, OntarioOakville, OntarioOakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
named Francis, Bond, and Head. (Only Bond and Head remain.) - Two streets in the city of St. Catharines, OntarioSt. Catharines, OntarioSt. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
named 'Bond' and 'Head'. Though both streets are short, they intersect.
Works
- Life of Bruce (London, 1830), a biography of Scottish traveler James BruceJames BruceJames Bruce was a Scottish traveller and travel writer who spent more than a dozen years in North Africa and Ethiopia, where he traced the origins of the Blue Nile.-Youth:...
- Bruce, James, TravelsTravels to Discover the Source of the NileTravels to Discover the Source of the Nile, In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773 is a multi-volume account of the Scottish traveller James Bruce of his journeys in the Horn of Africa, which includes an eye-witness account of Ethiopian history and culture, as well as a description of...
(18??), an abridged version of the 1790 work, edited by F. Bond Head. - Head, Francis Bond. (1826). Rough Notes Taken during some Rapid Journeys across the Pampas and among the Andes. Murray (reissued by Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, 2009; ISBN 978-1-108-00161-8)
External links
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- Life of Bruce, the African Traveller (1830 edition), full text at Archive.org