126 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Surveyor General Ridout? to Talbot. 
Surveyor General’s Office, 
York, 5th March 1812. 
Dear Sir, 
Although Lieut. Governor Gore was pleased to order a line to be 
run for a Road through Westminster to join Your Road, (so ealled), 
and also a Road from Southwoid to Amherstburgh,” and lots to be laid 
out on the above mentioned Road, similar to those on Colonel Talbot’s— 
yet as I do not find that this has been confirmed by any Order in 
Council, as was the case, when the Road, called by your Name was 
ordered to be surveyed, ‘nd laid off in Lots from Middleton to Port 
Talbot—I am therefore to request, you will be so good as not to place 
any settlers upon any lot on the Road surveyed by order of Lieut. Govr. 
Gore, & leading from Westminster to Port Talbot, or from thenee to 
Amherstburgh, until it shall have been sanctioned by His Honor the 
President in Council. 
I have the honor to be, 
Sir, 
Your most obedient 
humble servant 
THos. Ripour, 
Sr. Genl. 
The Honble. Thomas Talbot 
at Port Talbot. 

? Thomas Ridout (born in Devonshire in 1774, died 8th Feb., 1829), was 
in the service of the Government of Upper Canada from the year 1792. 
Among various offices held by him were those of Notary, Sergeant-at-Arms 
to the House of Assembly, Registrar of the County of York, Captain of the 
York Militia, Clerk of the Peace, Clerk of the District Court, Surveyor- 
General, etc., etc. He was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly 
in 1812, and appointed member of the Legislative Council in 1824. (See “ Ten 
Years of Upper Canada, 1805-1815,” by Lady Edgar. 
* The first mentioned Road is known as the North Branch of Talbot Road. 
It extends from the town-line between Dunwich and Southwold just north 
of the village of Iona, parallel to and at a distance of two and a half miles 
from Talbot Road, to Talbotville, where it turns to the northward and is 
continued to London. A short extension or branch ran from Talbotville to 
connect with Talbot Road at St. Thomas. The road from St. Thomas tc 
London is known as North Street. The North Branch was surveyed in 1811 
by Mahlon Burwell. The road from Southwold to Amherstburgh is known 
as Talbot Road West. 

