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Colonial British Columbia

Privacy Level: Open (White)
Date: 13 Jan 1849 to 20 Jul 1871
Location: British Columbia, Canadamap
Surname/tag: British Columbia
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The colonial history of British Columbia began with the designation of Vancouver Island as a crown colony on January 13, 1849, and ended when the united colony of British Columbia was admitted into Confederation as the sixth province of Canada on July 20, 1871.

Vancouver Island was designated a crown colony on January 13, 1849, and then leased to the Hudson Bay Company for ten years. The governors were supposed to encourage British settlement, to check the expansion of American and Russian territory on the Pacific coast. An economic depression gutted the colony's finances, and it was amalgamated with British Columbia on August 6, 1866.

Governors of Vancouver Island

Name Term of Office
Richard Blanshard Appointed July 6, 1849. Took up office March 11, 1850. Left the colony September 1, 1851.
James Douglas Appointed May 16, 1851. Took up office October 30, 1851. Replacement arrived March 25, 1864.
Arthur Edward Kennedy Appointed December, 1863. Took up office March 25, 1864. Office abolished due to the amalgamation of Vancouver Island into British Columbia on August 6, 1866.

The Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands was designated a crown colony in 1852, and James Douglas, the Governor of Vancouver Island, was appointed as Lieutenant Governor. The colony was amalgamated with British Columbia in July 1863.

Lieutenant Governor of the Queen Charlotte Islands

Name Term of Office
James Douglas Appointed September, 1852. Office abolished due to the amalgamation of the Queen Charlotte Islands into British Columbia in July, 1863.

The Stickeen Territories was divided from the North-Western Territory on July 19, 1862 in response to the Stikine Gold Rush, and James Douglas, the Governor of Vancouver Island, was appointed as Administrator. Most of the territory was amalgamated with British Columbia in July 1863 (except for the land between 60˚ and 62˚ North Latitude, which was returned to the North-Western Territory.

Adminstrator of the Stickeen Territories

Name Term of Office
James Douglas Appointed July 19, 1862. Office abolished due to the amalgamation of the Queen Charlotte Islands into British Columbia in July, 1863.

British Columbia was designated a crown colony on August 2, 1858, in response to the influx of prospectors caused by the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. James Douglas, who was already governor of Vancouver Island, was appointed governor of the mainland as well, and administered it remotely from Victoria. When Douglas was replaced, separate governors were appointed for Vancouver Island and for British Columbia. Vancouver Island was amalgamated with British Columbia on August 6, 1866. British Columbia was admitted into Confederation as the sixth province of Canada on July 20, 1871, and the office of Governor was replaced with the office of Lieutenant Governor.

Governors of British Columbia

Name Term of Office
James Douglas Appointed August 2, 1858. Took up office November 19, 1858. Replacement arrived April 21, 1864.
Frederick Seymour Appointed January 11, 1864. Took up office April 21, 1864. Died June 10, 1869.
Anthony Musgrave Took up office August 23, 1869. Office abolished due to the entry of British Columbia into Confederation on July 20, 1871

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