James Monk

Sir James Monk (1745 – November 18, 1826) was Chief Justice of Lower Canada. The Monk Metro Station in Montreal is named for him, as is Monkland Avenue. The home he built in 1804, Monklands, still stands today as the central building of the Villa Maria School, Montreal.

Monk played a significant role in the abolition of slavery in British North America, when as Chief Justice he rendered a series of decisions regarding escaped slaves that 'while not technically abolishing slavery rendered it innocuous. The slave could not be compelled to serve longer than he would, and ... might leave his master at will.'

James Monk was born in 1745 at Boston, Massachusetts, and christened at King's Chapel. He was the son of Judge James Monk (1717-1768) of Halifax, Nova Scotia and his wife Ann, daughter of Henry Deering of Boston. Sir James Monk was a grandson of George Monk (b.1666) of Blatchingley, who was one of the three illegetimate sons of George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle. James was educated in Halifax where his father had settled in 1749. He studied law with his father from 1761 to 1767 and was admitted to the bar in 1768. After his father died leaving the family in debt, Monk took over the family's finances. In 1771, he studied law in London and on the recommendation of Lord Hillsborough he was appointed Solicitor-General of Nova Scotia in 1772, while continuing his law studies in London. In 1774, he married Ann Elizabeth Adams of St James's Street, London, who was said to be 'well connected'.

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