Sir James Douglas (August 15, 1803 – August 2, 1877), was a British Columbian fur trader and politician who became the first Governor of the Colony of British Columbia.
- James Douglas (governor)It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capital of the new-born Colony of British Columbia in 1858, and continued in that role until the Mainland and Island Colonies were merged in 1866.
- New WestminsterMeanwhile, the mainland continued to function under the de facto administration of the HBC, whose chief executive, James Douglas, was also governor of Vancouver Island.
- Colony of British Columbia (1858–1866)Governor James Douglas proclaimed the new capital with this name on February 14, 1859.
- New WestminsterThe rush indeed was short lived, and the exodus of miners, speculators, and merchants was already underway by the time the Royal Engineers had laid out the colony's new capital at New Westminster.
- Colony of British Columbia (1858–1866)Upon his retirement, Douglas was honoured with banquets in both Victoria and New Westminster, the capital of the mainland.
- James Douglas (governor)4 related topics with Alpha
British Columbia
3 linksWesternmost province of Canada.
Westernmost province of Canada.
The Colony of British Columbia (1858–1866) was subsequently founded by Richard Clement Moody, and by the Royal Engineers, Columbia Detachment, in response to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush.
Moody selected the site for and founded the mainland colony's capital New Westminster.
Lord Lytton "forgot the practicalities of paying for clearing and developing the site and the town" and the efforts of Moody's engineers were continuously hampered by insufficient funds, which, together with the continuous opposition of Governor James Douglas, "made it impossible for Moody's design to be fulfilled".
Richard Clement Moody
2 linksBritish governor, engineer, architect, and soldier.
British governor, engineer, architect, and soldier.
Moody, who is considered to be the founding father of British Columbia, founded the Colony of British Columbia, when he was selected to 'found a second England on the shores of the Pacific' by Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, who desired to send to the nascent Colony 'representatives of the best of British culture' who had 'courtesy, high breeding, and urbane knowledge of the world'.
Moody founded the capital of British Columbia, New Westminster, and has been described as 'the real father of New Westminster'.
Throughout his tenure in British Columbia, Moody feuded with Sir James Douglas Governor of Vancouver Island, whose jurisdiction overlapped with his own.
Royal Engineers, Columbia Detachment
2 links
The Columbia Detachment of the Royal Engineers was a contingent of the Royal Engineers of the British Army that was responsible for the foundation of British Columbia as the Colony of British Columbia (1858–66).
He founded the new capital city, New Westminster, at a site of dense forest of Douglas pine that he selected for its strategic excellence including the quality of its port.
Throughout his tenure in British Columbia, Moody feuded with Sir James Douglas Governor of Vancouver Island, whose jurisdiction overlapped with his own.
Colony of Vancouver Island
1 linksCrown colony of British North America from 1849 to 1866, after which it was united with the mainland to form the Colony of British Columbia.
Crown colony of British North America from 1849 to 1866, after which it was united with the mainland to form the Colony of British Columbia.
Chief Factor James Douglas was relocated from Fort Vancouver to Fort Victoria to oversee the company's operations west of the Rockies.
To exert its legal authority, and undercut any HBC claims to the resource wealth of the mainland, the district was converted to a Crown colony on 2 August 1858, and given the name British Columbia.
The increased conflicts between Douglas and the reformers, such as Amor De Cosmos, along with the growing desire of colonists in British Columbia to have a resident governor in their capital of New Westminster resulted in the colonial office easing Douglas into retirement in 1864.