This road is named in memory of Colonel Thomas Talbot.
Thomas Talbot was born at Malahide, 10km north-east of Dublin, Ireland on 19 July 1771. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the 66th Foot at a very young age before being appointed in 1787, as Aide-de-Camp to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Shortly afterwards, he received his lieutenancy in the 24th Foot and in 1790, embarked for Quebec City with his Regiment. In 1792, he was selected for the position of private secretary to the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe. This position gave Talbot the opportunity to travel widely across Upper Canada where he became particularly interested in the northern shore of Lake Erie. In 1793, Talbot was promoted to Captain in the 85th Foot followed by a rapid promotion to Major in the spring of 1794. He returned to England and for the next two years saw active duty in Holland and Gibraltar. In 1796 he purchased a lieutenant-colonelcy in the 5th Foot and in 1799, Talbot once again saw active duty in Holland. In 1801, he returned to Upper Canada and settled in an area near present-day Port Stanley. In May 1803, he obtained a land grant of 5000 acres in the area that would become Port Talbot and proceeded to construct a grist mill and embark on development plans to attract settlers. The following 50 years saw the area prosper under Talbot though his methods were sometimes questioned.
During the War of 1812, Talbot commanded the 1st Middlesex Militia and supervised all the militia regiments of the London District but upon cessation of hostilities, he returned to managing his settlements. By 1838, the then Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Francis Bond Head, ordered Talbot to turn the settlement over to the province. He eventually moved to London, ON and died there in 1853 at the age of 82.
