Campbell was born near Caithness, Scotland. He fought with the British forces during the American Revolution and was taken prisoner at Yorktown in 1781. Three years later, he was practising law in Nova Scotia where, in 1799, he was elected to the House of Assembly. In 1811, Campbell moved to Upper Canada where he had accepted a judgeship on the Court of King's Bench. He was made chief justice of the province and speaker of the Legislative Council in 1825. Four years later, he received the first knighthood awarded a judge in Upper Canada. Campbell built this neoclassical brick house on Adelaide Street East at Frederick Street around 1822. The Advocates' Society and the Sir William Campbell Foundation moved it to this location in 1972.

Location

On the grounds of Campbell House, now a museum, 160 Queen Street West at University Avenue, Toronto

Themes

• People
• Politics and law