Page 18 - Oundle Life January 2024

on a series of massive building and road construction projects and laid the foundations
friends gather to share a meal and raise a toast to the man from a small Northamptonshire
for the thriving city that is now home to almost three million people. It was re-named Toronto in 1834.
Such is the reverence for Simcoe
in Toronto that his sword, sabre, and
walking cane are still held as treasures
by the Archives of Ontario and, in
1969, the people of Toronto named the
first Monday of every August ‘Simcoe
Day’ – a public holiday to honour the boy from Cotterstock who founded their great city. On its website, Fleming College in Toronto declares that ‘John Graves Simcoe made numerous important contributions to the fabric of Canada that are still felt today.’
Simcoe Day is celebrated not only with cultural festivals and sporting events, but also in households all over Toronto, where families and
village who created a mighty city. After a lifetime of both military and
public works, John Graves Simcoe eventually returned to Exeter in 1796, suffering from poor health. He died there in 1806 at the age of 54, before he could take up his new position
as Commander-in-Chief, India. He
is buried in Wolford Chapel on the Simcoe family estate near Honiton, Devon.
his sword,
sabre, and walking cane are still held as treasures
Stuart Barker is a professional writer and author. He has a keen interest in local history and likes nothing better than riding round Northants visiting historical sites on his motorcycle.
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