George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie

Dalhousie, George Ramsay, 9th Earl of

George Ramsay Dalhousie, 9th Earl of, soldier, administrator, governor-in-chief of British North America 1820-28 (b 23 Oct 1770; d at Dalhousie Castle, Scot 21 Mar 1838). He joined the British army in 1788 and saw service in both Spain and France 1812-14. After fighting at the Battle of Waterloo 1815, he began a career in administration. In 1816 he was appointed lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia and, after the sudden death of the duke of RICHMOND, became governor-in-chief of Canada 1820.

Known for his authoritarian views, Dalhousie clashed with the French Canadian majority led by Louis-Joseph PAPINEAU. He was recalled in 1828, and a British parliamentary committee was formed to deal with the Canadian situation. During his tenure he founded Dalhousie College (later DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY) in 1818 and the Quebec Literary and Historical Society. After leaving Canada, he was appointed commander in chief of the forces in India (1829-32).