Allan, David Sr. Category: Industry, Politics, Founder The Allan family has deep roots in Guelph. David Allan Sr. was born in Scotland in 1808. He operated Allan's Mill (originally named the Canada Company Mill) on the Speed River after settling here in 1832. He worked as a miller, architect and engineer and built many mills and structures during his...
Bell, Matthew (1820-1880) Category: Builder, Architect Matthew Bell was a builder, stone carver and architect. His work is featured on numerous buildings throughout the city, including several of his own residential homes on Albert Street and Water Street, as well as the Basilica of our Lady and the portico of "Moreton Hall", the residence of F.W. Stone, now a central architectural...
Dunlop, William "Tiger" (1792-1848) Category: Builder, Politics, Medicine, Founder Dr. William Dunlop was born in Greenock, Scotland in 1792. Dunlop served an army officer, surgeon, Canada Company official, author, justic of the pease, militia officer, and politician. and office holder. He was a Member of Parliament for the the First Parliament of the Province of Canada. Dunlop an active...
Farbridge, Karen Category: Politics, Academic First elected to office as a city councillor in 1994, Karen Farbridge became Guelph's first female mayor in 2000, and was subsequently re-elected in 2006 and 2010. Farbridge earned a BSc (1983) and MSc (1985) and PhD (1989) in Zoology from the University of Guelph. She was Executive Director of the Ontario Public Interest Research...
Galt, John (1779-1839) Category: Novelist, Entrepreneur, Founder John Galt was born in Irvine, Scotland in 1779, the son of a naval officer who was involved in trade in the West Indies. He began studying law in 1809, moved to London, and wrote stories and essays for local journals. He travelled extensively with Lord Byron and published Byron first biography....
Peterson, Henry William "Bill" (1831-1913) Category: Politics, Public Service H.W. "Bill" Peterson was born in Delaware in 1831, later settling in Waterloo and then Guelph with his parents when his father was appointed as Registrar of Wellington County. After graduation from law school in Toronto, he served as a barrister in partnership with Andrew Lemon. He played many roles during his long...
Saunders, Col. Thomas (1795-1873) Category: Military, Public Service Born in Buckinghamshire, England in 1795, Thomas Saunders emigrated to Canada in the early 1830s and settled on a farm in Puslinch Township he named Woodlands. He married Lucy Ann Willcocks. Saunders was a colonel of the militia for the counties of Wellington, Waterloo and Grey, crown prosecutor, and Clerk of the Peace for...
Sutherland, Lucy (1863-1935) Category: Artist Better known as Lady Duff Gordon, Lucy Sutherland was born in England in 1863, but later moved to Guelph as a child when her widowed mother returned to her childhood home to live with her parents (Thomas and Lucy Saunders). Sutherland was briefly married to James Stuart Wallace, with whom she had a daughter, Esme....
Thomas, William (1799-1860) Category: Architect William Thomas' legacy in Guelph is most closely associated with Old City Hall, constructed in 1856. Thomas did not live in Guelph during his lifetime, but his work as an architect contributes to our civic identity. A full biography of Thomas can be found here. Biography of William Thomas ...
Wright, James (1798-1863) Category: Politics, Agriculture James Wright was born in Dennington, Suffolk County, England on 17 Nov 1798, and raised in Laxfield, a small village NE of Dennington. It has been suggested that this parents were William Wright and Mary Cooper and that his siblings, among others, included Samuel, Joshua, and Richard, all of whom emigrated to Canada; these...