Edward Cornwallis
A British military officer whose founding of Halifax shaped colonial Canada, a legacy intertwined with contentious policies toward Indigenous peoples.
1713–1776 (age 63)·British Army general·Birthday: March 5
Biography
Edward Cornwallis, born into aristocratic privilege, followed a classic 18th-century path of military service and colonial administration. After proving his mettle suppressing the Jacobite rising at the Battle of Culloden, he was dispatched across the Atlantic. In 1749, he landed on the coast of Nova Scotia with over 2,500 settlers, tasked with establishing a fortified town to counter French influence. He named it Halifax, after the British president of the Board of Trade. His governorship was marked by the rapid construction of the settlement and intense conflict with the Mi'kmaq people, leading to a notorious scalping proclamation. Returning to Britain, he transitioned to politics as an MP, but his name remains indelibly linked to the city he founded and the complex, often dark, early chapters of Canadian history.
#1 When Edward Was Born
The biggest hits of 1713
Edward's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1713Born
1718Started school
1726Became a teenager
1729Could drive
1731Could vote
1734Turned 21
1743Turned 30
1753Turned 40
1763Turned 50
1773Turned 60
1776Died at 63
Key Achievements
- Founded the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1749 as a British military stronghold.
- Served as the first Governor of Nova Scotia from 1749 to 1752.
- Fought at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 as a British Army officer.
Did You Know?
He was the twin brother of Frederick Cornwallis, who became the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The controversial statue of Cornwallis in Halifax was removed in 2020 after years of protest.
He was a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Westminster in London.
“This settlement will be a fortress of British order in this wilderness.”
