Monday, April 1, 2013

Lord Stanley

Photo from Hockey Gods

It is to Frederick Arthur Stanley, later Lord Stanley, who served as governor general between 1888 and 1893 that we owe two important Canadian institutions: Stanley Park and the Stanley Cup hockey trophy.

On March 18, 2013, Governor General David Johnston announced the Lord Stanley memorial monument, in time to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Stanley Cup and the 150th of Canada (2017).

Born the 16th Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley was educated at Eton and Sandhurst, and served in the Grenadier Guards, who are featured in this 2010 BBC film after they returned from Afghanistan.

He married a daughter of the Earl of Clarendon, Lady Constance Villiers, and they had ten children. Touring the country, he enjoyed its natural beauty, and met people of various first nations. He loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman.

In his role as governor general, he maintained neutrality in the controversial matter of the Jesuit Estates Bill, and thus earned respect for maintaining the appropriately neutral position of the vice-regal head of state.

After returning to England, he became Chancellor of the University of Liverpool and devoted himself to philanthropic works.

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