ROLPH, Dr. Thomas
In 1832 Thomas Rolph left England for a brief tour of the West Indies and the United States on his way to Upper Canada. He arrived in U.C. in 1833 and settled in Ancaster where he began to practise as a surgeon. Interestingly, in May 1840, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Upper Canada refunded Rolphs membership fee on the grounds that he had exhibited no qualifications for being elected a member. Rolph's qualifications for surgery may be in doubt but his role as a proponent of assisted emigration from Britain to the Canadas is not. His book indicates that he travelled widely in Upper Canada for research purposes, describing in detail many features of the provinces towns, villages, and townships. Upper Canada is depicted as a desirable location for hard-working farm labourers or emigrants with capital. Appendix includes letters, statistics, descriptions, and commentary on Indians.