Francis Collins

Photos by Alan L Brown - x, 2006

On the west side of Jarvis Street, just across the street from 63 Jarvis, on a concrete column, is this 1982 Toronto Historical Board plaque. It has this to say:

Plaque coordinates: 43.650943 -79.372283

Francis Collins, Canada's first professional parliamentary debates reporter, was born CA. 1800 in Newry, County Down, Ireland. He had been a publisher before his arrival in York (Toronto) where, near here from 1825-1834 he published the "Canadian Freeman." Collins advocated the principles of a free press and the establishment of an uncensored record of parliamentary debates. For his attacks on the Family Compact he was jailed in 1828 and, following the debate of the House of Assembly on his case, he was granted Royal Clemency. Francis Collins and members of his family were victims of the Cholera Epidemic of 1834.

Related websites
Newry
Family Compact
cholera

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Communications

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