Duncombe House
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Early portrait of Dr. Charles Duncombe, one of the first doctors in
St. Thomas. |
The Duncombe House Heritage Centre became part of the Elgin
Military Museum in 2008. The original house was the home and office
of Dr. Elijah Duncombe. Dr. Duncombe and his brother Charles
(pictured left) were two of the first doctors in St. Thomas. Dr.
Duncombe had his office in two rooms on the first floor while the
rest of the main floor and the second floor were occupied by the
family. Duncombe is not only important to the local community, but
also to the country as he set up the Talbot Dispensary, the first
medical school in Upper Canada.
Charles Duncombe was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1830
and became allied with the radical reform movement of William Lyon
Mackenzie. After the 1836 election and subsequent unsuccessful
challenge in Britain, it was clear to the reformers that dramatic
action was needed.
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The
Duncombe House Heritage Centre is located on the corner of Talbot
and Pleasant Streets, in St. Thomas, Ontario. Many people will
remember it as the original home of the Elgin Pioneer Museum. A
reception room is available for meetings or special events.
Click
here for details.
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Duncombe raised a local band of rebels to march on Toronto to
defeat the government in what would become known as the Upper
Canada Rebellion of 1837. He and his band of rebels got as far as
Scotland, Ontario where they disbanded because of news of militia
troops heading towards their location.
Charles Duncombe and several other
rebels fled to the United States where most of them lived out their
lives. Others, including Joshua Doan, a Quaker from Sparta,
continued their rebel activities. Doan was later tried and hanged
for treason in London and is buried in the Quaker Cemetery in
Sparta.