Francis Gore

Who was Francis Gore?

Francis Gore, was a British officer and British colonial administrator.

Gore was commissioned into the 44th Foot in 1787, but transferred to the 54th Foot in 1794 and the 17th Light Dragoons in 1795. He retired with the rank of major and then became Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada from 1806 to 1811. Gore's administration built roads, reorganised the militia and founded schools.

He was absent on leave during the War of 1812 as military authorities ran the province. His stand-in during this time was Isaac Brock, who "sought an active role in the impending war as keenly as Gore sought to escape it". Gore resumed his role as lieutenant-governor from 1815 to 1817. During his second term, Gore prorogued the Legislative Assembly after it challenged his ban on issuing land grants to American refugees and made other criticisms of his administration. Robert MacIntosh, in his book Earliest Toronto, describes Gore as "a man who was clearly the most incompetent and disliked Lieutenant Governor in the history of Upper Canada".

Gore Vale, a north-south street on the eastern boundary of Trinity Bellwoods Park on the west side of downtown Toronto, is named after him, as is the former Toronto Gore Township in the present Regional Municipality of Peel.