Loyalist Narratives from Upper Canada (Publications of the Champlain Society, volume 27)

Two petitions were addressed in Canadian parliament on February 10 1859 requesting a contribution from the provincial treasury to fund a project to print original contemporary documents relating to the history of Upper Canada since Loyalist settlement. The United Empire Loyalists have been acknowledged as one of the few groups in American History that have been victims to a bias historical representation. Loyalist Narratives of Upper Canada, a publication from the Champlain Society, is an anthology of the narratives composed as a result of the 1859 parliament ruling which aimed to preserve the history of Upper Canada. The collection consists of personal writings and official documents that present an unprejudiced portrayal of Loyalist culture and the significant impact it has made in the development of Canada. Many of the narratives in this collection originate from the collection of George Coventry, the man in charge of commissioning and collecting all of the original documents. The writings reflect the creation of the province of New Brunswick, the French and English divide that Loyalist settlement inflicted in Quebec, and the implementation of English laws and representative legislative institutions. The overall collection reminds readers how vague memorial reminisces are, while individual narrative entries carry a message aimed at evolving the traditional depiction of Loyalists. “The Testimonial of Roger Bates” conveys how loosely the title “United Empire Loyalist” was applied to individuals who evidently possessed a distinct set of values. Loyalist Narratives of Upper Canada addresses historical inconsistencies that the Loyalist tradition has endured and emphasizes the cultural contribution the Loyalists have made, subsequently transforming their role in Canada’s history.