George Rolph
Encyclopedia
George Rolph was a lawyer and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
, England
in 1794 and came to Upper Canada with his family around 1808. He studied law in York (Toronto
). He served as lieutenant in the local militia during the War of 1812
. He lived in Vittoria until 1816, then moved to Dundas
. He became the first clerk of the peace for the Gore District. Rolph was apparently resented by the Tories of the region and, in June 1826, was tarred and feathered
by a group of masked men who claimed that Rolph had been sleeping with his female servant. Several leading Tories were later arrested and sued for trespass and assault. Rolph represented Halton
in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
from 1828 to 1830 as a Reformer
. He died in Dundas in 1875.
His brother John was also a member of the assembly.
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...
.
He was born in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
Thornbury is a market town in South Gloucestershire, England, approximately 12 miles north of the city of Bristol, with a population of 12,342 at the 2001 UK census. The town hosts South Gloucestershire Council headquarters and is twinned with Bockenem in Germany. Thornbury is a Britain in Bloom...
, England
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...
in 1794 and came to Upper Canada with his family around 1808. He studied law in York (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...
). He served as lieutenant in the local militia during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. He lived in Vittoria until 1816, then moved to Dundas
Dundas, Ontario
Dundas is a formerly independent town and now constituent community in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. It's nickname is the Valley Town. The population has been stable for decades at about twenty thousand, largely because it has not annexed rural land from the protected Dundas Valley...
. He became the first clerk of the peace for the Gore District. Rolph was apparently resented by the Tories of the region and, in June 1826, was tarred and feathered
Tarring and feathering
Tarring and feathering is a physical punishment, used to enforce unofficial justice or revenge. It was used in feudal Europe and its colonies in the early modern period, as well as the early American frontier, mostly as a type of mob vengeance .-Description:In a typical tar-and-feathers attack, the...
by a group of masked men who claimed that Rolph had been sleeping with his female servant. Several leading Tories were later arrested and sued for trespass and assault. Rolph represented Halton
Halton County, Ontario
Halton County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is also one of the oldest counties in Canada.-History:Halton County is named after Major William Mathew Halton who was appointed in 1805 as Secretary to the Upper Canada provincial Lieutenant-Governor Sir Francis...
in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
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...
from 1828 to 1830 as a Reformer
Reform Party (pre-Confederation)
The Reform movement, sometimes referred to as the Reform Party, began in the 1830s as the movement in the English speaking parts of British North America . It agitated for responsible government....
. He died in Dundas in 1875.
His brother John was also a member of the assembly.