Honourable James Cockburn, 1819-1883

Photos by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted November, 2010

Plaque Location

The County of Northumberland
The Town of Cobourg
On the east side of William Street (Road 2)
.4 km south of Elgin Street
at the south end of a parking lot

Coordinates: N 43 58.209 W 78 11.363

Plaque Text

A Father of Confederation, James Cockburn was born in Berwick, England, and came to Canada with his parents in 1832. Admitted to the bar in 1846, he formed a partnership with D.E. Boulton in Cobourg, and in 1849 established a law practice independently. Entering politics, he represented Northumberland West in the Legislative Assembly of Canada, 1861-67, and served as solicitor general, 1864-67. At the Quebec Conference of 1864 he shared in drafting the plan for Confederation, and in 1867 was elected the first Speaker of the new federal House of Commons, a post which he held until 1874. He resigned in 1881 owing to illness and died two years later.

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