Robert Thorpe

Who was Robert Thorpe?

Robert Thorpe was a judge and political figure in Upper Canada.

He was born in Dublin, Ireland around 1764. He graduated with a degree in law from Trinity College, Dublin and was admitted to the bar in 1790.

In 1801, he became chief justice for Prince Edward Island. Because he was not getting paid on time, he sailed to England in 1804 but was captured by a French privateer. Thorpe later escaped and was named to Court of King's Bench in Upper Canada. On the death of his friend, William Weekes, in a duel, he was elected in a by-election to the 4th Parliament of Upper Canada representing Dundas, Simcoe & 1st York.. He advocated that the executive council should be responsible to the elected representatives. He was suspended from office by the lieutenant governor Francis Gore in July 1807.

In 1808, he was appointed the first chief justice in Sierra Leone. He served until 1811 and later dismissed from colonial service.

Thorpe left Sierra Leone in 1811 and died in London in 1836.