ncipal, Edmund A. Meredith, was the son of the Rev. Thomas
Meredith, D.D., a Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, and a mathematician
of distinction. His mother was a daughter of the Very Rev. Richard
Graves, also a Fellow of Trinity, Dean of Ardagh, and a theologian of
note. He graduated in 1837 from Trinity College, Dublin, where he won
the second classical scholarship, the prize for political economy, and
the graduation medal in science. He then began the study of law, but
before his course was completed he came to Canada in 1843. Here he
resumed his legal studies, and on fulfilling the requirements he became
a member of the Bar in both Upper and Lower Canada. When he was
appointed Principal of McGill he was a lawyer in active practice in
Montreal. In scholarship he was well qualified for his duties, as
Lecturer in Mathematics and as Principal of the struggling College in
which courses had to be arranged and the whole academic policy reformed.
He was possessed, too, of unusual administrative ability and of legal
knowledge of great value in that time of College chaos and disagreement;
and he displayed uncommon tact and abundant patience and energy in his
efforts to solve the delicate problems with which the University was
then confronted. It was largely through his initiative that the movement
was undertaken for the securing of a new Charter. In 1847 he accepted
the post of Assistant Provincial Secretary, but as the seat of
Government was then in Montreal he still remained Principal of McGill.
After the burning of the Parliament Buildings and the violence in
connection with the Rebellion Losses Bill, when the seat of Government
was moved to Toronto, Mr. Meredith tendered his resignation as Principal
on October 26, 1849. He was induced to retain the Principalship,
however, although living in Toronto, until a successor could be found,
and it was not until 1851 that he finally withdrew. His name appears as
Principal in documents of that year. In recognition of his services the
University conferred on him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1857. When
Thomas Workman gave the workshops to the Faculty of Applied Science he
directed that a sum of $3000 be paid to the former Principal, Dr.
Meredith, "inasmuch;" he said, "as I have long been convinced of the
value of the services rendered to the University of McGill by Edmund A.
Meredith, LL.D., during a very critical period of its history." Dr.
Meredith afterwards became Under-Secret