During my quest for the true face of Sir Isaac Brock, I was fortunate enough to receive the unstinting assistance of a great many people. First among them was Dr. John Sugden, the acclaimed British historian who encouraged me to begin work on a new Brock biography, and who was just as eager as myself to find an authentic portrait for its frontispiece. During the long and tedious undertaking that followed, John remained a constant source of inspiration.
The lady named in the dedication has been a most enthusiastic supporter, and despite my fears that she might become disenchanted as my research became increasingly protracted, Gillian Lenfestey (now Gillian Davies) never lost interest in Brock’s portraits. Without her extensive knowledge of Guernsey’s history, as well as that of her late husband, Hugh (who happened to be the island’s first archivist), many valuable records would have been beyond my reach.
I also enjoyed a good deal of co-operation from other Guernsey islanders. The former bailiff, Sir Geoffrey Rowland, made a concerted effort to find a missing Brock portrait, while Amanda Bennet, formerly in charge of the Priaulx Library, happily complied with one Brock-related request after another. Helen Conlon, the fine art curator at the Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery, enlightened me as to the conservation of Gerrit Schipper’s portrait of Brigadier General Isaac Brock, and Tony C. Booth gave willingly of his time by retrieving select materials from the National Archives, Kew. Not to be overlooked is the late Captain Michael H.T. Mellish, who allowed me to examine and photograph the portraits and other Brock family heirlooms in his possession, and who exhibited all the attributes of a most genial host.
Here in Canada, I met with much kind consideration—especially at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, where the Archives and Special Collections of the James A. Gibson Library preserve memorabilia relating to the University’s namesake, including some of the portraits reproduced in this book. Department head David Sharron always indulged my numerous demands upon his time, as did Lynne Prunskus before him. In kind, staff members Edie Williams and Jen Boyce were very attentive in helping me navigate the collection.
Elsewhere in the Niagara peninsula, Kevin Windsor, then curator of the Lundy’s Lane Historical Museum (now the Niagara Falls History Museum), amazed me by producing a long lost portrait of Brock. At the RiverBrink Art Museum in Queenston, former curators James Campbell and Gary Essar helped me to understand Samuel E. Weir’s collecting interests. In nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake, Clark Bernat, former managing director of the Niagara Historical Society Museum, demonstrated an admirable desire to share the society’s impressive archival resources—as did his successor, Sarah Kaufman, and the society’s administrator, Amy Klassen.
In Toronto, I met with a gracious reception from Gillian Reddyhoff, the former curator of the Government of Ontario Art Collection, who arranged for my inspection of Brock’s portraits in the Ontario legislature. With similar courtesy, Carol Baum, a collection technician with the Royal Ontario Museum, scheduled a personal viewing of several Brock miniatures in the Canadian Collection, Department of World Cultures.
At Trent University’s Archives in Peterborough, I was given unfettered access to the Bagnani Papers—an essential source for the study of Brock’s portraits. For this indulgence, I owe many thanks to Dr. Bernadine Dodge, now university archivist emeritus, and Jodi Aoki, who is the university’s current archivist.
In Ottawa, Collections Manager Carol Reid facilitated my research at the Canadian War Museum, where I made good use of the Ludwig Kosche Papers. Equally helpful was Madeleine Trudeau, a curator with Library and Archives Canada, who was extremely diligent in tracking down elusive facts pertaining to the Brock portraits under her care.
Three art experts were instrumental in revising the attribution of Brock’s profile portrait from William Berczy to Gerrit Schipper, and I am exceedingly grateful to: Mary Macaulay Allodi of Toronto, Ontario, who was for many years curator of Canadian Art at the Royal Ontario Museum; Dr. Alan McNairn of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, a former director of the New Brunswick Museum; and Jeanne Riger of Whitestone, New York, a long-time docent and researcher at the Museum of American Folk Art, now the American Folk Art Museum.
Interpreting the uniform in Schipper’s portrait of Brock gave me a new appreciation for the meaning of the word problematic. Thankfully, some very well versed gentlemen helped me decode the many complexities of early nineteenth century British military dress, and I am deeply indebted to: Andrew Cormack of London, England, who is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, editor of the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, as well as a specialist in British army uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars; Donald E. Graves, near Perth, Ontario, a noted Canadian military historian specializing in the War of 1812; Dr. Ray Hobbs of Hamilton, Ontario, the knowledgeable historian of the 41st Regiment of Foot Military Living History Group; and Peter Twist of Orangeville, Ontario, a highly respected military heritage consultant.
I am also obliged to the following individuals: Erika Alexander, Friends of Fort George, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario; Georgia B. Barnhill, formerly of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts; Ted Barrow, formerly of the Frick Art Reference Library, New York, New York; Paul Cox, Archive and Library, National Portrait Gallery, London, England; Ron Dale, formerly of Parks Canada, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario; Alan Derbyshire, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England; Robert C. Fisher, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; Major Tanya Grodzinski, Department of History, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario; Jim Hill and Ruth Stoner, Niagara Parks Commission, Niagara Falls, Ontario; the late Nevol Huddleston, London, Ontario; David Kean, London, Ontario; F. Eugene LaBrie, Q.C., Oshawa, Ontario; Sandra Lawrence, formerly of the Weir Foundation/RiverBrink Art Museum, Queenston, Ontario; the late Robert Malcomson, St. Catharines, Ontario; Elizabeth Mathew, United Church of Canada Archives, Toronto, Ontario; Dr. Richard D. Merritt, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario; Dr. Peter Moogk, Department of History, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia; Dr. Tom Nesmith, Department of History, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba; Mark Osterman, George Eastman House International Museum of Photography, Rochester, New York ; the late Stephen A. Otto, Toronto, Ontario; the late Honourable P. Michael Pitfield, Montreal, Quebec, and his former secretary, Hazel Lachapelle, Gatineau, Quebec; Chris Raible, Creemore, Ontario; Jane Reed, The University Club Library, New York, New York; Dennis R. Reid, Department of Art, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario; and Craig Williams, Hamilton, Ontario.
I am no less beholden to the staff of various institutions, namely: the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario; Fort Malden National Historic Site, Amherstburg, Ontario; McCord Museum of Canadian History, Montreal, Quebec; National Archives of the United Kingdom, Kew, England; National Army Museum, London, England; National Portrait Gallery, London, England; and the Rifles Museum (Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiments), Salisbury, England.
I wish especially to thank the anonymous readers who appraised my manuscript for the University of Calgary Press. I was delighted when I learned that the editorial board at the University of Calgary Press had agreed to publish my research into the true face of Sir Isaac Brock, and I extend particular thanks to Brian Scrivener, director, Helen Hajnoczky, editorial and marketing coordinator, Alison Cobra, marketing specialist, Melina Cusano, graphic designer, and publishing assistant Keyan Zhang, all of whom entertained my many questions and concerns with much patience and encouragement. My copy editor was Kathryn Simpson, an expert in the field of art history.
I would like to acknowledge funding support from the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario. I am also grateful to Lorraine Filyer, the OAC’s former literature officer, who guided me through that organization’s grant application process.
A special acknowledgment is reserved for Dr. Didier Flament of Portland, Oregon, who clarified many of the passages in this book—and with a degree of honesty I can only now begin to appreciate.
Guy St-Denis
London, Ontario