This high school, General Amherst High School, is named after Jeffery Amherst, who was commander of the British Armed Forces in North America during the Seven Years War.
Jeffery Amherst was born in England in 1717 and joined the Grenadier Guards in 1735. Amherst saw action during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) and by the war’s end, was a Lieutenant-Colonel. With the outbreak of the Seven Years War in 1756, Amherst deployed to Europe but was sent to North America two years later in 1758. His fame came early as he successfully captured Louisbourg in June 1758 followed by the capture of Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain, the following year. With the capture of Quebec City, by Wolf, in September 1759, Amherst advanced to Montreal the following year, capturing the city and thus ending French rule in North America. In recognition of this victory, Amherst was appointed Governor-General of British North America in September 1760, promoted to Major-General and appointed Knight of the Order of the Bath. He remained in North America where he led British operations in the West Indies. Returning to England, he was promoted Lieutenant-General in 1765. Amherst was raised to the peerage in 1776, as Baron Amherst of Holmesdale, was promoted to full general and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in 1778 but resigned in 1782. In 1788 he was created Baron Amherst of Montreal and called back to service in 1793. He was promoted to Field Marshall in 1796 but died a year later.
