Henry Sherwood
Encyclopedia
Henry Sherwood, QC (1807 – July 7, 1855) was a lawyer and Tory
provincial politician, moved to municipal politics and was alderman
of St. David's Ward when chosen as Toronto's 7th mayor from 1842 to 1844. Sherwood was appointed QC on 23 January 1838. He was born in Augusta Township, Upper Canada.
In 1836, he was elected to the 13th Parliament of Upper Canada
representing the town of Brockville
. In 1843, he was elected to the 1st Parliament of the Province of Canada
representing Toronto
. From May 28, 1847 to March 11, 1848, Sherwood served as Joint Premier of the Province of Canada
for Canada West along with his counterpart Denis-Benjamin Papineau
who represented Canada East
.
When responsible government
was granted to Upper Canada
(which then became Canada West), Sherwood ran with Mayor George Monro
on a Tory ticket but was defeated in March 1841 by Reformers
despite having the full backing of the Orange Order and establishment. A riot
ensued the next day when a victory parade by the Reformers was attacked by Orangemen carrying knives, sticks and firearms. The Orangemen were based at the Coleraine Tavern and had been brought in from Scarborough, Ontario
by the tavern's owner, Samuel Sherwood, who happened to be Henry's brother. One man was killed by a shot fired from the tavern. Charles Dickens
, visiting Toronto at the time, observed:
Sherwood, nevertheless, succeeded Monro as Mayor. He stayed very active in national politics while mayor. He became the Solicitor-General of Canada in the summer of 1842 and again during his second term as mayor.
He was a successful mayor. Credit belongs to the committees, but he was the mayor that oversaw the regulation of the market, paving the streets and collecting taxes. In 1842, 94 gas lights illuminated King and Yonge Street
s and a waterworks was underway.
Mayor Sherwood saw that the Town Hall was too small for the growing civic government and the plans were drawn for Toronto's first municipal offices. Construction began on the new City Hall (now St. Lawrence Hall
) in the summer of 1844 at Jarvis and Front Streets.
Sherwood sat on city council after his final mayoralty term until 1849 then continued on with provincial politics for a few more years. He suffered from ill health later in life and died in Bavaria
in 1855 while travelling in Europe.
Sherwood's brother and tavern owner, Samuel, would serve as the city's police chief from 1852 to 1859.
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
provincial politician, moved to municipal politics and was alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of St. David's Ward when chosen as Toronto's 7th mayor from 1842 to 1844. Sherwood was appointed QC on 23 January 1838. He was born in Augusta Township, Upper Canada.
In 1836, he was elected to the 13th Parliament of Upper Canada
13th Parliament of Upper Canada
The 13th Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 8 November 1836. Elections in Upper Canada had been held 20 June 1836. All sessions were held at Toronto.The House of Assembly had five sessions 8 November 1836 to 10 February 1840....
representing the town of Brockville
Brockville, Ontario
Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Brockville is politically independent and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.Known as the "City of the 1000...
. In 1843, he was elected to the 1st Parliament of the Province of Canada
1st Parliament of the Province of Canada
The 1st Parliament of the Province of Canada was in session from June 15, 1841 to 1843. Elections were held in the Province of Canada in April 1841. All sessions were held at Kingston, Canada West....
representing 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...
. From May 28, 1847 to March 11, 1848, Sherwood served as Joint Premier of the Province of Canada
Joint Premiers of the Province of Canada
Joint Premiers of the Province of Canada were the leaders of the Province of Canada, from the 1841 unification of Upper Canada and Lower Canada until Confederation in 1867....
for Canada West along with his counterpart Denis-Benjamin Papineau
Denis-Benjamin Papineau
Denis-Benjamin Papineau was joint premier of the Province of Canada for Canada East from 1846 to 1848. His joint premiers for Canada West during this period were William Henry Draper and Henry Sherwood....
who represented Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
.
When 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...
was granted to 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...
(which then became Canada West), Sherwood ran with Mayor George Monro
George Monro
George Monro was a businessman and political figure in Canada West.He was born in Scotland in 1801 and came to Niagara in Upper Canada with his parents. In 1814, he moved to York and entered the grocery business with his brother; he later struck out on his own, becoming an importer and wholesaler...
on a Tory ticket but was defeated in March 1841 by Reformers
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....
despite having the full backing of the Orange Order and establishment. A riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
ensued the next day when a victory parade by the Reformers was attacked by Orangemen carrying knives, sticks and firearms. The Orangemen were based at the Coleraine Tavern and had been brought in from Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
by the tavern's owner, Samuel Sherwood, who happened to be Henry's brother. One man was killed by a shot fired from the tavern. Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
, visiting Toronto at the time, observed:
- One man was killed on the same occasion and from the very window whence he received his death, the very flag which shielded his murderer (not only in the commission of his crime, but from its consequences), was displayed again on the occasion of the public ceremony performed by the Governor General, to which I have just adverted. Of all the colours in the rainbow, there is but one which could be so employed: I need not say that the flag was orange.http://www.russianbooks.org/crime/cph3.htm
Sherwood, nevertheless, succeeded Monro as Mayor. He stayed very active in national politics while mayor. He became the Solicitor-General of Canada in the summer of 1842 and again during his second term as mayor.
He was a successful mayor. Credit belongs to the committees, but he was the mayor that oversaw the regulation of the market, paving the streets and collecting taxes. In 1842, 94 gas lights illuminated King and Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
s and a waterworks was underway.
Mayor Sherwood saw that the Town Hall was too small for the growing civic government and the plans were drawn for Toronto's first municipal offices. Construction began on the new City Hall (now St. Lawrence Hall
St. Lawrence Hall
St. Lawrence Hall is a meeting hall in Toronto, Canada next to the St. Lawrence Market. It was built, alongside the new city hall, in 1850 after an 1849 fire destroyed much of the market. The Renaissance Revival style building was designed by William Thomas. It was created to be Toronto's public...
) in the summer of 1844 at Jarvis and Front Streets.
Sherwood sat on city council after his final mayoralty term until 1849 then continued on with provincial politics for a few more years. He suffered from ill health later in life and died in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
in 1855 while travelling in Europe.
Sherwood's brother and tavern owner, Samuel, would serve as the city's police chief from 1852 to 1859.