John Beverley Robinson

Who was John Beverley Robinson?

John Beverley Robinson was elected mayor of Toronto in 1856. He was the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario between the years 1880–1887.

He was born in York in 1821, the son of Sir John Robinson, an important political figure in Upper Canada. He attended Upper Canada College, where he was a leading cricketer, eventually representing Canada in the inaugural international cricket match, against United States in 1844.

During the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837, Robinson served as aide-de-camp to Sir Francis Bond Head. He later studied law and was called to the bar in 1844. He became an alderman in Toronto at St. Patrick's Ward during the 1850s, including a term as mayor in 1856. He was also involved in the incorporation of a number of companies in the Toronto area including the Toronto and Georgian Bay Canal Company in 1856. He was elected to the 6th Parliament of the Province of Canada representing Toronto in 1858. He helped promote the Northern Railway and served as president from 1862 to 1875. He represented Algoma in the Canadian House of Commons in 1872 and represented West Toronto in 1878.