George Allsopp

George Allsopp ( – 14 April 1805) was a British-born Canadian businessman and government office holder. He became a merchant in Quebec in the 1760s and a seigneur in 1773. He went heavily into debt to open a gristmill, which in 1788 was the province's largest producer of flour. He also lobbied the Quebec and British government for reforms to the Quebec judicial system and the creation of a legislative assembly. He was also appointed to various government positions, including the province's executive council and as a justice of the peace.

Early life and government career

Allsopp was born in England . During the 1758 Siege of Louisbourg, Allsopp worked for the British Quartermaster General’s Department. In 1759 he was the secretary to the quartermaster general of Quebec, Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester.

Start of merchant career

In 1761 he settled in Montreal, and was a junior partner in a firm called Jenkins, Trye and Company and facilitated the trade of wheat, timber, fur, fish, potash, spirits, and iron. In the same year he became a vocal critic of James Murray, Quebec's military governor, after Murray enacted measures to curtail the activities of British merchants. Allsopp further criticized Murray when the latter decided to govern the province with an appointed council instead of an elected assembly, and established separate civil and criminal courts. In 1764 Allsopp helped to draft a statement that was presented by the first grand jury of Quebec. The statement condemned Murray's administration and demanded that the grand jury become recognised as Quebec's temporary representative body. A clause that opposed Roman Catholics from serving on juries was included in the statement and attributed to Allsopp.