Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer, 5th Baron Aylmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
General The Right Honourable
The Lord Aylmer
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| Governor General of British North America | |
| In office 1830–1835 |
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| Preceded by | Sir James Kempt |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Gosford |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 May 1775 |
| Died | 23 February 1850 (aged 74) Eaton Square, London |
| Resting place | West Norwood Cemetery |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | British Army |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer, 5th Baron Aylmer (born May 24, 1775 – died February 23, 1850) was an important British military officer. He also served as a colonial administrator, which means he helped manage British lands far from home. One of his most important roles was being the Governor General of British North America.
Contents
A Military Career
Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer began his military career in 1787. He quickly rose through the ranks. By 1800, he was a major. He even spent six months in a French prison in 1798.
Serving in Major Wars
He became a colonel in 1810. From 1810 to 1812, he was an aide-de-camp to King George III. This meant he was a personal assistant to the King. In 1813, he became a major general. He fought in many important battles during the Peninsular War. This war was part of the larger Napoleonic Wars.
After serving in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, he moved to Ireland. In 1814, he was made the adjutant general of British forces there. He stayed in this role until 1823.
Governing North America
By 1825, Aylmer had reached the rank of lieutenant-general. In 1830, he was given two very important jobs in North America. He became the commander of British military forces. He was also appointed Governor General of British North America. This made him the top British official in the region. He also served as Lieutenant Governor of Lower Canada.
Challenges in Canada
Lord Aylmer had no experience managing a government. He also had no political experience. This made his job as Governor General very difficult. People in Lower Canada were asking for "responsible government." This meant they wanted their local elected assembly to have more power. They wanted the government to be accountable to them.
Aylmer struggled to meet these demands. He also made things worse by favoring English-speaking people over French-speaking people. This caused more tension between the two groups. In 1834, the assembly in Lower Canada passed 92 "resolutions of grievance." These were formal complaints. One of their main demands was that Aylmer be removed from his post. Because of these problems, he was called back to England in 1835. His time as Governor General may have contributed to the Lower Canada Rebellion that happened in 1837.
Life After Canada
After returning to England, Aylmer continued his military career. He was promoted to the rank of general in 1845. However, he never received a British peerage. His title was from the Irish peerage. He also did not get another government job.
He passed away on February 23, 1850, in London. He was buried at West Norwood Cemetery.
His Family
Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer had a sister named Rose Whitworth-Aylmer. She traveled to India in 1798. Sadly, she became ill with cholera and died in 1800. A famous British poet, Walter Savage Landor, wrote a poem called "Rose Aylmer" in her memory.
Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer married Louisa Anne Call on August 4, 1801. When he became Governor General in 1830, they lived in the Castle of St. Louis in Quebec. Lady Louisa Anne was very caring. During a cholera outbreak in 1831–32, she helped people who were suffering. She was also very interested in education. She often visited schools and gave out prizes to students. She was a supporter of a women's education society in Quebec. Lady Louisa Anne passed away on August 13, 1862.
