Charles Monck, 4th Viscount Monck

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Charles Stanley Monck, 4th Viscount Monck GCMG PC (10 October 1819 – 29 November 1894) was a British politician who served as the last governor-general of the Province of Canada and the first Governor General of Canada after Canadian Confederation.

The Viscount Monck
The Viscount Monck in 1880.
1st Governor General of Canada
In office
1 July 1867 – 14 November 1868[1]
MonarchVictoria
Prime MinisterJohn A. Macdonald
Prime Minister
(United Kingdom)
Earl of Derby
Benjamin Disraeli
Preceded byNew position
Succeeded byThe Lord Lisgar
Personal details
Born
Charles Stanley Monck

(1819-10-10)10 October 1819
Templemore, Ireland
Died29 November 1894(1894-11-29) (aged 75)
Enniskerry, Ireland
NationalityBritish
Spouse
Lady Elizabeth Monck
(m. 1844; died 1892)
RelationsCharles Monck, 1st Viscount Monck (grandfather)
Henry Monck, 1st Earl of Rathdowne (uncle)

Early life

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The Viscount Monck in 1868

Charles Stanley Monck was born in Templemore, County Tipperary, Ireland. He was the son of Charles Monck and his wife Bridget née Willington. His father was the younger son of Charles Monck, 1st Viscount Monck and the former Anne Quin. After his grandfather's death in 1802, the viscountcy had been inherited by his father's elder brother, Henry Monck, who in 1822 was further created Earl of Rathdowne. However, in 1848, Lord Rathdowne died without male heirs (albeit with many daughters), the earldom became extinct, and Monck's father succeeded as 3rd Viscount. His maternal grandparents were John Willington of Killoskehan Castle in Barnane, and the former Bridget Butler (daughter of Theobald Butler of Knocka Castle in Drom).[citation needed]

Career

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Monck obtained a law degree from Trinity College Dublin. He married his cousin Lady Elizabeth Monck (one of Lord Rathdowne's daughters) in 1844, and in 1849 he inherited his father's title as 4th Viscount Monck. In 1852 he was elected MP for Portsmouth (as an Irish peer, he had no seat in the House of Lords), and from 1855 to 1858 he served as Lord of the Treasury under Lord Palmerston.

Governor General of Canada

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In 1861, he was appointed Governor General of British North America as well as Governor of the Province of Canada. Lord and Lady Monck and their children came to Canada, but they did not remain throughout his term of office as Governor General of Canada. The family resided at Spencerwood in Quebec during most of their stay in Canada.

During this time, the Canadian colonies were beginning to organise themselves into a confederation. The American Civil War had just broken out, and the Trent Affair caused diplomatic tension between the United States and Britain. The Canadian government was eager to gain some measure of independence during this turbulent period. The Quebec Conference, the Charlottetown Conference, and the London Conference, at which the details of confederation were discussed, all took place during Monck's time as governor. Monck supported the idea, and worked closely with John A. Macdonald, George Brown, George-Étienne Cartier, and Étienne-Paschal Taché, who formed the "Great Coalition" in 1864.

In 1866, Monck was created a peer of the United Kingdom with the title Baron Monck, which gave him a seat in the House of Lords. When the Canadian colonies became a semi-independent confederation the next year, Monck became the country's first Governor General. Monck was also responsible for establishing Rideau Hall as the residence of the Governor General in Ottawa.

Later life

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In 1869, Monck was succeeded by Sir John Young (later Lord Lisgar). He returned home to Ireland, where he became Lord Lieutenant of Dublin in 1874.

Personal life

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Lady Elizabeth Louise Mary Monck by William Notman

On 23 June 1844, he married Lady Elizabeth Louise Mary Monck, his first cousin and the daughter of his uncle Henry, the 2nd Viscount, who had been made Earl of Rathdowne in 1822. Together, they were the parents of two sons and two daughters:[2]

Lady Monck died in June 1892, aged 78. He died in November 1894, aged 75.[4]

Arms

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Coat of arms of Charles Monck, 4th Viscount Monck
 
 
Crest
A dragon passant wings elevated Sable.
Escutcheon
Gules a chevron between three lions' heads erased Argent.
Supporters
Dexter a dragon sinister a lion both Argent and holding in the forepaw a branch of laurel resting on the shoulder fructed Proper.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Office of the Governor General of Canada. "History > Former Governors General > The Viscount Monck". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  2. ^ Morgan, Henry James, ed. (1903). Types of Canadian Women and of Women who are or have been Connected with Canada. Toronto: Williams Briggs. p. 244.
  3. ^ http://www.freebmd.org.uk JUN 1888 1a 773 St Geo Han Sq Richard Aslatt Pearce = Frances Monck
  4. ^ Monet, Jacques (1990). "Monck, Charles Stanley, 4th Viscount Monck". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XII (1891–1900) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  5. ^ Borrow-Longain, FRSA, FRNS, MRI, Paul ELT (September 2014). "His Excellency The Right Honourable Charles Stanley Monck, 4th Viscount Monck, GCMG, PC Governor General & Commander-in-Chief of Canada" (PDF). Hogtown Heraldry. Vol. 24, no. 3. The Toronto Branch of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada. p. 7. Retrieved 24 August 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Portsmouth
18521857
With: Francis Baring
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Junior Lord of the Treasury
1855–1858
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Governor General of the Province of Canada
1861–1867
Position abolished
Captain General and Governor in Chief of Canada
1861–1867
Position abolished
New office Governor General of Canada
1867–1868
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Dublin
1874–1892
Succeeded by
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by Viscount Monck
1849–1894
Succeeded by
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baron Monck
1866–1894
Succeeded by