Theodore Davie

Theodore Davie

Theodore Davie (born March 22, 1852 in Brixton , London , † March 7, 1898 in Victoria ) was a Canadian politician , lawyer and judge . From July 2, 1892 to March 4, 1895 he was Prime Minister of British Columbia , then Chairman of the Supreme Court of that province until his death. His older brother AEB Davie had also been Prime Minister of British Columbia before him.

biography

Davie spent his youth on the high seas as a cabin boy . He came to Victoria in 1867 and lived with his father, who had emigrated there five years earlier. Like his brother, he studied law. In 1873 he was admitted to the bar and then practiced in Cassiar and Nanaimo . He finally settled in Victoria and was considered a leading expert in criminal law .

In July 1882 Davie was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a member of the Victoria constituency (no parties existed at the time). He supported his brother, who was head of government from 1887 to 1889. His successor John Robson appointed Davie Attorney General . On July 2, 1892, three days after Robson's death, Lieutenant Governor Hugh Nelson named him the new Prime Minister.

Davies' government passed a new electoral law that gave the increasingly important mainland part of the province greater representation in the provincial parliament. Railway companies received financial grants to promote the construction of new lines and thus to stimulate the economy. Despite calls to move the capital to the mainland, the government approved the construction of the Parliament building in Victoria. Davie resigned March 4, 1895 and was elected chairman of the provincial supreme court a week later. He held this office for almost three years until his death.

Web links

• Theodore Davie . In: Dictionary of Canadian Biography . 24 volumes, 1966–2018. University of Toronto Press, Toronto ( English , French ).
• Theodore Davie ( English, French ) In: The Canadian Encyclopedia .