born Nov. 21, 1787, Halifax, Nova Scotia
died April 28, 1865, Kensington, London, Eng.
Canadian-British merchant and shipowner.
He became prosperous in commerce and began laying plans in 1830 to establish mail service between England and North America. He went to England in 1838 and in 1839 cofounded the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., known as the Cunard Line. In 1840, four Cunard liners began the first regular service across the Atlantic Ocean.