Seven Fathers of Confederation have resided in Sandy Hill at one point during their lives, including two who became Prime Ministers (Macdonald and Tupper). Unfortunately, the houses of three of them no longer stand. In those early days, most politicians, including Canada’s first prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald, rented rather than owned their home because Parliament only sat three months of the year.
Sir Alexander Campbell
Sir Alexander Campbell 1822-1892 Campbell was a Father of Confederation from Canada West. Appointed to the Senate in 1867, he was Canada’s first Postmaster General (an important source of patronage at the time) and... Read More
Sir Alexander T. Galt
Sir Alexander T. Galt 1817-1893 Born in Scotland, Galt was bright, highly educated and athletic (he once ran 36 miles in six hours on a dare) but also temperamental (Macdonald described him as “unstable... Read More
William McDougall
McDougall was a Father of Confederation from Canada West (Ontario). Because he had changed political allegiance, McDougall was colloquially known as “Wandering Willie”. McDougall lived at two addresses in Sandy Hill: between 1866 and 1870,... Read More
Sir Leonard Tilley
Sir Leonard Tilley 1818-1896 Tilley was an early advocate of colonial union and became a Father of Confederation representing New Brunswick. Inspired by a passage in the Bible, Tilley is credited for having come... Read More
John Hamilton Gray
1814-1889 Two Fathers of Confederation were named John Hamilton Gray, one from Prince Edward Island, the other from New Brunswick. It is the latter one who lived briefly in Sandy Hill. During his career,... Read More