1833 Bonnycastle: No. 2 Plan of Comparison shewing ... the site of the new Barrack ... means shall be furnished from the Sale of that part of the Military Reserve given up for the improvement of the Town

This is the second of a connected series of three plans made at York, UC, in October 1833 by Capt. Richard Bonnycastle, Senior Royal Engineer in the Western District of Upper Canada, working under close direction from Lieutenant-Governor Sir John Colborne. The other maps in the series are [here] and [here]. A short while before, Colborne had been authorized to sell part of the Military Reserve to allow for the town’s expansion, with the proceeds going to the construction of a new fort.

Map No. 2 shows a small portion of the Town of York and the whole of the Reserve, reduced in extent as it was then. For the next three and a half years the plan saw several refinements and street-renamings until in February 1837 Deputy Surveyor William Hawkins managed to get Lieut.-Gov. Sir Francis Bond Head to sign off on a final version. By then Bonnycastle had been promoted a major and been sent to Kingston to oversee the completion of Fort Henry. There he was instrumental in skillfully organizing Kingston’s defenses during the rebellion of 1837-38, for which he was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1840.

Click the map to view a full size version [PDF].

1833 RH Bonnycastle No. 2 Plan of Comparison shewing ... the site of the new Barrack

No. 2 Plan of Comparison shewing, in yellow, the site of the new Barrack and Work around it at A; the Wharf B, and Tower C, proposed for the defence of the entrance of the Harbour of York, the Capital of Upper Canada and a chief Port for commerce on the Lake Ontario to be proceeded upon, if approved, as means shall be furnished from the Sale of that part of the Military Reserve given up for the improvement of the Town. Royal Engineer Office York, Upper Canada 31st October 1833 (Signed) R.H. Bonnycastle Capn Royl Engineers Western District U.C. Royal Engineer Office 24 Decr 1833. [Sgd] Gusts Nicolls Colonel Comg Rl Engineers Canada.

Image courtesy Library and Archives Canada: NMC16817
Winearls, MUC no. 2063 (3)


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