Robert Thorpe
Encyclopedia
Robert Thorpe was a judge and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Dublin, Ireland
around 1764. He graduated with a degree in law from Trinity College, Dublin
and was admitted to the bar in 1790.
In 1801, he became chief justice for Prince Edward Island
. Because he was not getting paid on time, he sailed to England
in 1804 but was captured by a French
privateer. Thorpe later escaped and was named to Court of King's Bench in Upper Canada. On the death of his friend, William Weekes
, in a duel, he was elected in a by-election to the 4th Parliament of Upper Canada
representing Dundas
, Simcoe
& 1st York
. (In that election, his supporters included at leat twelve men who would later be accused of treason, one being Elijah Bentley
). He advocated that the executive council should be responsible to the elected representatives. He was suspended from office by the lieutenant governor Francis Gore
in July 1807.
In 1808, he was appointed the first chief justice in Sierra Leone
(chief justice and judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court). He served until 1811 and later dismissed from colonial service.
Thorpe left Sierra Leone in 1811 and died in London
in 1836.
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 Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
around 1764. He graduated with a degree in law from Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
and was admitted to the bar in 1790.
In 1801, he became chief justice for Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
. Because he was not getting paid on time, he sailed to 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 1804 but was captured by a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
privateer. Thorpe later escaped and was named to Court of King's Bench in Upper Canada. On the death of his friend, William Weekes
William Weekes
William Weekes was a lawyer and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Ireland and came to the United States, later settling at York in 1798...
, in a duel, he was elected in a by-election to the 4th Parliament of Upper Canada
4th Parliament of Upper Canada
The 4th Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 1 February 1805. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in May 1804. All sessions were held at Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada in York, Upper Canada...
representing Dundas
Dundas County, Ontario
Dundas County is a county in the Canadian province of Ontario.Dundas was created in 1792 by the area's first settlers: German Loyalists who had fought with Sir John Johnson in the American Revolutionary War. The settlers, descendants of the Palatine immigrants to America in 1710, had immigrated to...
, Simcoe
Simcoe County, Ontario
Simcoe County is located in central portion of Southern Ontario. The County is situated just north of the Greater Toronto Area stretching from the shores of Lake Simcoe in the east to Georgian Bay in the west...
& 1st York
York County, Ontario
York County is a historic county in Upper Canada, Canada West, and the Canadian province of Ontario.York County was created in 1792 and was part of the jurisdiction of Home District of Upper Canada...
. (In that election, his supporters included at leat twelve men who would later be accused of treason, one being Elijah Bentley
Elijah Bentley
Elijah Bentley was a Baptist minister and office holder from Upper Canada who pursued a variety of vocations including farming. He became important to Canadian history because of his trial for sedition during the War of 1812....
). He advocated that the executive council should be responsible to the elected representatives. He was suspended from office by the lieutenant governor Francis Gore
Francis Gore
Francis Gore, was a British officer and British colonial administrator.Gore was commissioned into the 44th Foot in 1787, but transferred to the 54th Foot in 1794 and the 17th Light Dragoons in 1795. He retired with the rank of major and then became Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada from 1806 to...
in July 1807.
In 1808, he was appointed the first chief justice in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
(chief justice and judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court). He served until 1811 and later dismissed from colonial service.
Thorpe left Sierra Leone in 1811 and died in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1836.