Sir Richard McBride (original) (raw)

December 15, 1870 - August 6, 1917The first of B.C.’s Premiers to be born in the province, "the people’s Dick" took his law degree at Dalhousie in 1890, then moved to Atlin. First elected to the Legislature in 1898, he became the Minister of Mines in 1900. Resigning this appointment 1901, he was formally elected Leader of the opposition to Dunsmuir’s government. This was the introduction of party politics into provincial government. In November 1902 Dunsmuir retired. E. G. Prior succeeded him until his government was dismissed by the Lieutenant-Governor who asked McBride to form a new government on June 1, 1903. He was returned to office in the October 1903 election, and again, with a strong party majority, in 1907 and 1909. In poor health, he resign on December 15, 1915, leaving for England to assume the post of Agent-General of British Columbia.Union Lodge No. 9, New Westminster i. 1894/09/05p. 1894/09/19r. 1894/11/21