George Gurnett
George Gurnett (* around 1792 ; † November 17, 1861 in Horsham or Lewes / England or Toronto ) was a Canadian journalist, politician and the 4th mayor of Toronto.
Gurnett immigrated from England to Virginia in the 1820s and later to Ancaster in Upper Canada and finally to York in 1829 . When York was renamed Toronto in May 1834, he was elected to the city council and served twice as mayor, the first time from January 1837 to January 1938 and the second time from January 1848 to January 1850. Politically, Gurnett was a Tory . Much like Lieutenant Francis Bond Head , Gurnett was ill-prepared for the 1837 rebellions . Towards the end of October, they left around 6,000 firearms and their ammunition unattended in the town hall. Although he was involved in the defense of the city he could not benefit from it and in 1838 lost the office of mayor to John Powell .
George Gurnett was married twice and had six children.
Web links
- George Gurnett . In: Dictionary of Canadian Biography . 24 volumes, 1966–2018. University of Toronto Press, Toronto ( English , French ).
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gurnett, George |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Canadian journalist, politician and mayor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1792 |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 17, 1861 |
| Place of death | Horsham , Lewes or Toronto |