John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Lisgar
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| Chief Secretary for Ireland | |
| In office 1 March 1853 – 30 January 1855 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | The Earl of Aberdeen |
| Preceded by | Lord Naas |
| Succeeded by | Edward Horsman |
| 12th Governor of New South Wales | |
| In office 1861–1867 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Preceded by | Sir William Denison |
| Succeeded by | The Earl Belmore |
| 2nd Governor General of Canada | |
| In office 2 February 1869 – 25 June 1872 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | Sir John A. Macdonald and William Ewart Gladstone |
| Preceded by | The Viscount Monck |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Dufferin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 August 1807 Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India |
| Died | 6 October 1876 (aged 69) Bailieborough, County Cavan, Ireland |
| Nationality | British and Irish |
| Spouse | Adelaide Dalton (d. 1895) |
| Education | Eton College |
| Alma mater | Corpus Christi College, Oxford |
John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar (born August 31, 1807 – died October 6, 1876) was an important British diplomat and politician. He held several high-ranking positions during his career. He served as the Governor General of Canada from 1869 to 1872. Before that, he was the Governor of New South Wales (Australia) from 1861 to 1867. He also worked as the Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1853 to 1855. For many years, from 1848 to 1870, he was known as Sir John Young.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Young was born in Bombay, India. His family was Anglo-Irish, meaning they were of English descent but lived in Ireland. He was the oldest son of Sir William Young, who was a director of the East India Company. This company was very powerful in trade.
John Young went to famous schools. He studied at Eton, a well-known boarding school. Then, he attended Corpus Christi College, Oxford University. He finished his studies there in 1829. In 1834, he became a lawyer. In 1835, he married Adelaide Annabella Tuite Dalton.
Political Career in the United Kingdom
In 1831, John Young became a Member of Parliament. This meant he was elected to represent the county of Cavan in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. He held this position for 24 years, which is a very long time!
He also worked for important leaders. In 1841, he was a Lord of the Treasury for Sir Robert Peel. This role involved managing government money. He became Secretary of the Treasury in 1844. From 1852 to 1855, he served as the Chief Secretary for Ireland. This was a very important job in the Irish government.
In 1855, Young was appointed as the Lord High Commissioner to the United States of the Ionian Islands. These islands are now part of Greece. He suggested that the islands should become a British colony. However, his secret letters about this idea were made public. This caused problems, and he was called back home in 1859.
Governor of New South Wales
In 1860, John Young was chosen to be the Governor of New South Wales. This is a state in Australia. When he arrived, he faced a big challenge. The Secretary for Lands, John Robertson, wanted to pass new laws about land. These laws were called the Robertson Land Acts. Many members of the Legislative Council strongly disagreed with these laws.
The Premier, Charles Cowper, asked Young to help. He wanted Young to appoint 21 new members to the Council. This would help pass the land laws. Enough members of the Council resigned, so a new Council was formed. This new Council eventually passed the land laws. The rest of his time in New South Wales was much calmer.
Governor General of Canada
John Young became the Governor General of Canada in 1868. He officially started his role on February 2, 1869. As Governor General, he represented the British monarch, Queen Victoria, in Canada. He worked with the Canadian Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. After his term ended in 1872, he returned to Ireland.
In 1870, he was given the title Baron Lisgar. This made him a member of the peerage, a special group of noble people. He was known as Baron Lisgar, of Lisgar and Bailieborough.
He passed away on October 6, 1876, at his home in Ireland. He was buried in Bailieborough Church of Ireland Graveyard.
Legacy
Many places and things are named after Lord Lisgar. This shows how important he was.
- Lisgar Collegiate Institute is a school in Ottawa, Canada. It is named after him. You can even see a picture of him in the school's library.
- Lisgar Street in Toronto and Lisgar Avenue in Saskatoon are also named after him.
- In Mississauga, Ontario, there is a community called Lisgar. A new train station, Lisgar GO Station, opened there in 2007. There is also a Lisgar Middle School in the area.
- The Sir John Young Hotel in Sydney, Australia, is named after him.
- Sir John Young Crescent, a street in Woolloomooloo, Australia, also carries his name.
- The town of Young, New South Wales, Australia, was named after him.
- Lake Lisgar in Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada, is named after the Baron.
Images for kids
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Lady Lisgar, John Young's wife, painted by William James Topley.
