Happy birthday Guelph!

This plaque can be seen in the beautiful city of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. 

It reads – 

Erected by the City of Guelph April 23^rd 1927,

in honoured memory of John Galt 

its founder April 23^rd 1827.  

It marks the centenary of the founding of the city by John Galt in 1827, one of John Galt's proudest achievements.  

In A Brief Sketch of the Early History of Guelph by Robert Thomson, A First Year Settler, he describes the felling of the first tree (read previous post here) and describes how the stump of that tree -

“was afterwards fenced round, neatly levelled and dressed on the top, and a sundial placed on it, which answered as the town clock for several years.”

Galt writes about the an early view of the city before building work began (Autobiography Vol 2) -  

“The glory of Guelph was unparallelled, but, like all earthy glories, it was destined to pass away.  It consisted of a glade, opened through the forest, about seven miles in length, upwards of one hundred and thirty feet in width, forming an avenue, with trees on each side far exceeding in height the most stupendous in England.”  

Guelph, also known as the Royal City, was named in honour of King George IV.  The name Guelph refers to the Hanoverian origin of Britain’s royal family.  In his Autobiography (Vol 2) Galt writes – 

“The name was chosen in compliment to the royal family, both because I thought it auspicious in itself, and because I could not recollect that it had ever been before used in all the king’s dominions.”

The date of the founding of the city was also intentional as Galt writes -

“I returned to Upper Canada, and gave orders that operations should commence on St George’s Day, the 23^rd of April.  This was not without design; I was well aware of the boding effect of a little solemnity on the minds of most men […] at eras which betokened destiny, like the launching of a vessel, or the birth of an enterprize, of which a horoscope might be cast.”

St George's Day is the celebration of the patron saint of England - St George.  It takes place on 23 April each year.

Next year will mark the bicentenary of Guelph. Read more about how the city will be celebrating on this website - Guelph 200.

John Galt and the Duke of York's mistress

In his Autobiography (Vol 1) John Galt spends a whole chapter describing how, in 1813, he received a visit from a “the famous Mrs Clarke” who had an interesting proposition for him.  Explaining that she had obtained his address from his publisher, Thomas Cadell, she told Galt that she wished him to visit her at her home which Galt says, was either “just off Baker Street or Gloucester Place” in London.  She also advised Galt that –

“she was surprised to see me so young a man, and so dressed, for she understood I was an old Scotch clergyman.”!

Mary Anne Clarke

On the following Sunday, Galt duly visited Mrs Clarke to discover just what she wanted from him.

Mrs Clarke was the famous Mary Anne Clarke, former mistress of Frederick, Duke of York, second son of George III.  

Frederick Duke of York

John Galt goes on to describe her -

“She had certainly no pretentions whatever to beauty, though there was a life and intellectuality in her eyes sparklingly agreeable.  She dressed with what I would call much taste, remarkably neat, plain, and clean; and generally with a bared head.  Her hair was almost black.  She possessed great powers of conversation, was often witty, and suddenly surprised you with flashed of shrewdness seldom seen in woman.  Her mind was decidedly masculine, and she read books of what may be called the male kind.  But if was not by knowledge that she made herself agreeable.  On the contrary, her general conversation had very few literary allusions; her great forte lay in the discernment of character.”

Mary Anne Clarke

On his visit John Galt soon found out why she had contacted him as she - “had been advised to consult me about a publication of her life.”  He decided that he would “use all my address to get possession of her secrets”.

Knowing that Clarke was in need of money, he admits that he “could give her no advice, unless she allowed me to see all her papers.  She consented; and laying an armful on the table, left me to peruse them.”

Mary Anne Clarke (1776-1852) had become the mistress of the Duke of York in 1803.  In 1809 she was accused of selling army commissions with the Duke's knowledge.  There was a parliamentary enquiry into the scandal and she was questioned before parliament.  The Duke (of course) was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, but he resigned from his official post as Commander of the British Army (although he was later reinstated).  He paid off Mary Anne and she was forced to sell up and leave London.  In need of funds, she returned in 1813 with a view to publishing the Duke's letters to her.  That is why she had consulted John Galt.

After six hours perusing the material Mary Anne had made available to him, John Galt had decided that they were unfit for publication.  Galt explained to Mrs Clarke that -

“the publication she intended was disreputable, and that her best way, as she had too much in her power, was to try if she could get the money she wanted by hook or crook from the Duke of York, for the publication must not go on”. 

She and Galt then had an interesting conversation in which she told him some amusing anecdotes about some of the interesting people she had been connected with.

Later in 1813, Mary Anne Clarke was tried for libel against William Vesey-FitzGerald who had been instrumental in giving evidence against her with regard to selling army commissions.  She was found guilty of libel and imprisoned for nine months.  On her release she went to live abroad.

There is an excellent book about the fascinating life and adventures of Mary Anne Clarke entitled Mary Anne by Daphne du Maurier who was Mary Anne's great-great-grandaughter.

Mary Anne herself wrote several works, including a Memoir, The Authentic and Impartial Life of Mrs Mary Anne Clarke,  published in 1809 (available to read online).

John Galt and the Coronation of George IV

John Galt was in London at the time of the Coronation of George IV in July 1821 and gave a very down-to-earth account of the proceedings in Literary Life and Miscellanies. 

George IV

“The instant that the performance was finished, the spectators all rose and became as fluent in their talk as the scattering audience after a state play; no vestige of solemnity remaining, if during the exhibition they experienced any.”

Galt goes on to describe the free-for-all that took place after the official ceremony and coronation dinner. 

“If anything were calculated to inspire laughable contempt for the melodrama of earthly grandeur, it was the hurly-burly in Westminster Hall subsequent to the King’s departure.  I can neither repress my derision at the commotion, nor conceive why it was permitted, though “the swinish multitude” were in court dresses.  But there is a stronger infection in folly than in wisdom, and, though I despised the pastime, I could not resist joining in the game.  In the plunder of the tables I got hold of a golden Britannia as big as a doll, with which I made proud a Bishop’s lady and gave to another “gorgeous dame” of high degree, a really beautiful basket of crystal, and bestowed gilded vessels on longing ladies.  But what added to the delight was the discovery that all the magnificence was as artificial as courtesies!  The goblets and imagery, the plates and epergnes, at the coronation festival of the greatest monarch on the earth, were gilded wood and pewter trenchers!  This, however, was wise, and showed the improved intelligence, alias the political economy of the age; but wherefore cheat the eye?  At the time, the coronation afforded me inconceivable pleasure, for I could only see things, bating the occasion, worthy to provide heart-easing laughter; the remembrance, however, like many other sweets, sours in the rumination.  It did more to lessen my respect for the tricks of state than anything I ever witnessed."

Newspaper report about the events.

In The Steamboat, published in 1821 in instalments in Blackwoods Edinburgh Magazine and in book form in 1822, John Galt describes the coronation through the eyes of his main character, Thomas Duffle who travelled from Glasgow to London to see the event.  Mr Duffle takes his place in the grandstands to witness the arrival of the lords and ladies attending the King and then the arrival of King George IV himself - 

“who entered with a marvellous fasherie, as I thought it, of formalities … for I could see he was now and then like to lose his temper at the stupidity of some of the attendants.  But it’s no new thing for kings to be ill served; and our Majesty might by this time, I think, have been used to the misfortune, considering what sort of men his minister are.”

 Again in The Steamboat, the aftermath of the ceremony are described.  After the King and nobles leave, the general company were invited to come and enjoy the leftovers!  Or as Galt puts it:-

“But the best part of the ploy was after his Majesty had retired, for, when he departed, everyone one, according to immemorial privilege, ran to plunder the table”, including Mr Duffle, who “was content with a piece of a most excellent bacon ham, and a cordial glass or two of claret wine, and a bit seed-cake.” 

John Galt had a wonderful eye for detailing the absurd and seeing through the conventions and characters of his day.