George William Allan

Who was George William Allan?

George William Allan, PC was a Canadian politician. His mother Leah Tyrer, daughter of Dr. John Gamble, married Hon. William Allan, of York, U.C. Allan's father, William, was a pioneer who settled what was then the Township of York during John Graves Simcoe's term as Governor. William Allan eventually became the city's first postmaster and was appointed to the Legislative Council of Upper Canada and was a supporter of the Family Compact.

George William Allan attended Upper Canada College and served with the Bank Rifle Corps when it helped put down the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion. He went on to study law and was called to the bar in 1846 when he also married his first wife, Louisa Maud Robinson.

Allan travelled extensively before beginning his law practice. He toured Europe, the Nile River, Syria, the Holy Land, Turkey and Greece giving him a lifelong appreciation of travel and winning him election to the Royal Geographic Society.

He was a Toronto alderman from 1849 until 1855, when he was elected the 11th Mayor of Toronto. In 1858, he entered national politics representing York on the Legislative Council until Canadian Confederation.