UrbanToronto has partnered with Heritage Toronto to capture a moment in Toronto's past. On a weekly basis, we highlight historic photos of the city's people, places and events, and tell the stories behind them.

On the grounds of Toronto's Queen's Park can be seen numerous monuments. Among them is a statue of George Brown.

Born in 1818 in Scotland, George Brown migrated to Toronto in 1843. He got to work quickly, establishing The Globe newspaper one year later. The Globe has since become one of the most significant newspapers in Canada, now known as The Globe and Mail newspaper. Brown also had a voracious appetite for politics and supported the reformers who advocated responsible government. In 1851, Brown was elected to the Legislative Assembly.

Brown became a key member of the Clear Grit Party, a party that was in support of the separation between church and state, the annexation of the North-Western territory and the concept of representation by population. During the politically precarious 1860s, he advocated the idea of a legislative union. Then in 1864, Brown proposed the Great Coalition, and played a crucial role in the Charlottetown and Quebec conferences. He left the coalition in 1865 but continued to be politically involved in Confederation. Brown ran in the federal election in 1867 but after being defeated, he left Parliament.

Brown returned to work at The Globe newspaper. In 1880, a disgruntled former employee shot George Brown in a fight at the Toronto office of The Globe. Brown later succumbed to his injuries.

Sources:

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-4000.08-e.html http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm? PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001046

Many thanks to both Gary Switzer of MOD Developments and Maya Bilbao for putting together the photos and research.