The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-07-29, Page 18Tiger Dunlop ays...Page 3
Iltstory boasts only one man like the "Tiger
DR. WILLIAM "TIGER" DUNLOP
1792 -1848,
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
Forests Canada Company, Lieutenant Colonel 1st 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 -
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dling from the south met John Galt, 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 bestowed 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,Uin
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 Councifi
and t'tesidefts
the
Town of Goderich
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