The second challenge came In January 1952 when Vincent was appointed by King George VI as Governor General of Canada, the first Canadian to hold the position. Alice’s death in 1950 meant that she would not be there to Share the responsibilities. As Vincent wrote: “Wo one could have been more fitted for the role of chatelaine of Government House than she, with her warmth and dignity and elegance...” GOVERNOR GOUVERNEUR | GENERAL GENERAL CANADA Stamp issued February 1969 ® For Vincent, the outstanding event during his tenure as Governor-General was the visit of the Queen in 1959, which included a motorcade through Cobourg and Brighton. It also included a relaxed weekend during which the Queen and Prince Philip stayed at Batterwood. On the Sunday morning Vincent accompanied them to the service at St. Mark’s Anglican Church, his parish church in Port Hope. Vincent as Governor General aa y = After his term ended in 1959, Vincent tenon 1959 = | — became absorbed by the idea of creating : Ma a residential institution for graduate ; ag | students at the University of Toronto. a, a |e — Massey College was opened by Prince _ L eg OO gt ae Vincent with Queen Elizabeth at Batterwood= 1959 Philip in 1962. =— ac ae While visiting London in December 1967, he fell ill and died of pneumonia on December 30, 1967. Vincent. is buried in St. Mark’s cemetery in Port Hope with Alice, son Lionel and daughter-in-law-Lillias. Vincent Massey believed that the Crown greatly strengthened Canadian unity. In his memoirs he wrote that his particular objective as Governor-General had been to enhance that unity by making the Crown a vivid reality throughout the entire country. It has been said of him: “he made the Crown Canadian”. Picture’sources: 1 The Imperial Canadian, Claude Bissell, University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 1986 2 The Memoirs of Vincent Massey, Vincent Massey, Macmillan, Toronto, 1963 3 https://archive.org/details/recordcountyyork00beeruoft/page.n4 A http://www.archives!gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/dan_hill/big/big_33_hart-house.aspx 5 Wikipedia 6 http://www. lostheritage.org.uk 7 University of Toronto Archives 2001-77-189MS 8 www.postagestampguide.com