Robinson, Sir John Beverley

Robinson, Sir John Beverley, 1791–1863, Canadian jurist, b. Lower Canada (Quebec). After holding many important offices, he entered upon his long career (1829–62) as chief justice of Upper Canada; in this period he was also briefly president of the executive council and was speaker of the legislative council (1830–41). A man of great ability and integrity, he was, as a leading member of the unpopular and conservative Family Compact group, an opponent of the union (1841) of Upper and Lower Canada and of the Reform party in its efforts to secure responsible representative government. He was created baronet in 1854.