HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-08-13, Page 31Tiger Dunlop Days... Page 2
History boasts only one man like the "Tiger"
"
DR. WILLIAM "TIGER" DUNLOP
__-------_ _
Byron perhaps best summed up Tiger.
"Nature formed but one such man, And broke the die."
During his lifetime, Tiger Dunlop was the Assistant
Surgeon for the 89th Regiment, Lower Canada, Niagara
Frontier, 1813-14; India, 1815-20, Lecturer In Medical
Jurisprudence, University of Edinburgh, Warden of the
Fgrests Canada Company,: Lieutenant Colonel lst Huron
Regiment 1837, Commissioner of the Peace, London
District 1838, M.P.P. for Huron, Parliament of Canada,
1841-45, Litterateur, Colonizer and Patriot.
He founded Goderich in 1827. Tiger Dunlop's party pad-
dling from the south met )ohn tali, the Superintendent of
the Canada Company and his crew, who had sailed around
Cabot Head and down Lake Huron in a gunboat. The
visitors were piloted into the harbour which is now
Goderich.
A fine dinner was held at Tiger's cottage and a bottle of
champagne produced, the mate to a bottle consumed
previously in York ( Toronto) after a successful trip to
Quebec in -order to press the claims of those who suffered
losses in the War of 1812 and to register the Canada Com-
pany's Charter.
Tiger was a gentleman of strong" convictions. When
challenged by a friend about the possibilty of his will (a
copy appears in this issue) being invalidated because of
the manner in which it was written, Tiger decided to send
it to another friend, Colonel Prince and, if the colonel felt
the will could be invalidated in its present form, then
changes would be made.
Colonel Prince responded that the will was eccentric but
not illegal or informal.
With a unique _nickname such as "Tiger" one naturally
wonders how this was beitowed upon the individual. The -
name Tiger did not refer to the gentleman's resemblance
to or temperament of the associated animal.
The "Tiger" actually cleared the island of Saugar, in,
the Ganges, of several man-eating tigers. Apparently, at
least -twice the ferocious beasts were stopped at close
range by the "Tiger", emptying his snuff-box into the face
of the intruder.
*Historical background material for this article from
the book William Dunlop by Colonel F.S.L. Ford, C.M.G.,
M.D..
The Huron Historic Jail and The Goderich Recreation Department Presents
Friday, August .15, 1986
Huron Historic Jail
Bring your own lawn
chairs orcar blankets
Rain Location: Robertson School
eeet
Sorin, Stevt e4, Pieteete4 a
2:00 p.m.
Tickets $2.00
7tt(44, Zaealiteiz aad jak fire 2f/lraleaHciliy
7:00 p.m.
Tickets Adults $3.00
Children $2.00
Family $7.00
(2 adults & 1 or more children
from same family)