Thomas Basil Humphreys
Encyclopedia
Thomas Basil Humphreys was an English
-born miner, auctioneer and political figure in British Columbia
. He represented Lillooet
from 1871 to 1875, Victoria District
from 1875 to 1882 and Comox
from 1887 to 1890 in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
.
He was born in Liverpool
, the son of John Basil Humphreys and Mary Elizabeth Morgan, and was educated at Walton-on-the-Hill
. Humphreys came to British Columbia by way of California
in 1858. The following year, he was hired as a constable in Fort Hope
, later transferring to Port Douglas
. Humphreys resigned this job in 1860, returning to mining until 1864. He then worked as an auctioneer and conveyancer
, soon afterwards moving to Lillooet
. Humphreys married Caroline "Carrie" Watkins in 1873.
In 1868, he was elected to the Legislative Council of British Columbia
for Lillooet. Humphreys supported union with Canada. In April 1870, he was suspended from council after criticizing Joseph William Trutch and other members of the Legislative Council at a public meeting. He was reelected to the council by his constituents in November that same year. Humphreys moved the confidence motion
which brought down the government of John Foster McCreight
in 1872 but soon joined the opposition after he was not named to cabinet. In February 1876, he was named Minister of Finance and Agriculture in the provincial cabinet but he resigned in July, again joining the opposition. From 1878 to 1882, Humphreys served as Provincial Secretary and Minister of Mines. He was defeated when he ran for reelection in 1882 and again in a by-election later that same year in Yale
. In 1886, Humphreys can unsuccessfully in Victoria District and then was defeated again when he ran for a federal seat. He was elected to the assembly for Comox in a December 1887 by-election held after Anthony Maitland Stenhouse
resigned his seat to become a Mormon
.
Humphreys helped promote the construction of the Lillooet–Burrard Inlet Cattle Trail
, built from 1875 to 1877 to provide a more efficient route to coastal markets.
Humphreys died in office in Victoria
at the age of 50.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born miner, auctioneer and political figure in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. He represented Lillooet
Lillooet (electoral district)
The Lillooet electoral district was a riding in the Canadian province of British Columbia, centred on the town of the same name and with various boundaries...
from 1871 to 1875, Victoria District
Victoria (British Columbia electoral district)
Victoria was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia, and was one of the first twelve ridings at the time of that province's joining Confederation in 1871 and stayed on the hustings until 1890. From 1894 to 1963 it did not appear on the electoral map...
from 1875 to 1882 and Comox
Comox (electoral district)
Comox was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was one of the first twelve ridings representing that province upon its joining Confederation, and was a one-member constituency...
from 1887 to 1890 in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
.
He was born in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, the son of John Basil Humphreys and Mary Elizabeth Morgan, and was educated at Walton-on-the-Hill
Walton-on-the-Hill
Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey, is a village in England, situated midway between Reigate and Epsom, just inside the M25 orbital motorway around London. It is situated close to the larger village of Tadworth. Other neighbouring villages include: Kingswood, Burgh Heath, Headley and Box Hill...
. Humphreys came to British Columbia by way of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1858. The following year, he was hired as a constable in Fort Hope
Hope, British Columbia
Hope is a district municipality located at the confluence of the Fraser and Coquihalla rivers in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Hope is at the eastern end of both the Fraser Valley and the Lower Mainland region, and is at the southern end of the Fraser Canyon...
, later transferring to Port Douglas
Douglas, British Columbia
Douglas is a locality in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, just southeast and outside of the boundary of White Rock, that is the Canadian side of the Peace Arch Border Crossing between British Columbia and Whatcom County, Washington in the United States...
. Humphreys resigned this job in 1860, returning to mining until 1864. He then worked as an auctioneer and conveyancer
Conveyancer
In Commonwealth countries, a conveyancer is a specialist lawyer who specialises in the legal aspects of buying and selling real property, or conveyancing. A conveyancer can also be a solicitor, licensed conveyancer, or a fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives.In the United Kingdom,...
, soon afterwards moving to Lillooet
Lillooet, British Columbia
Lillooet is a community on the Fraser River in western Canada, about up the British Columbia Railway line from Vancouver. Situated at an intersection of deep gorges in the lee of the Coast Mountains, it has a dry climate- of precipitation is recorded annually at the town's weather station,...
. Humphreys married Caroline "Carrie" Watkins in 1873.
In 1868, he was elected to the Legislative Council of British Columbia
Legislative Council of British Columbia
The Legislative Council of British Columbia was an advisory body created in 1867 to the Governor of the "new" Colony of British Columbia, which had been created from the merger of the old Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia...
for Lillooet. Humphreys supported union with Canada. In April 1870, he was suspended from council after criticizing Joseph William Trutch and other members of the Legislative Council at a public meeting. He was reelected to the council by his constituents in November that same year. Humphreys moved the confidence motion
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
which brought down the government of John Foster McCreight
John Foster McCreight
John Foster McCreight QC was a jurist and the first Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Early life:...
in 1872 but soon joined the opposition after he was not named to cabinet. In February 1876, he was named Minister of Finance and Agriculture in the provincial cabinet but he resigned in July, again joining the opposition. From 1878 to 1882, Humphreys served as Provincial Secretary and Minister of Mines. He was defeated when he ran for reelection in 1882 and again in a by-election later that same year in Yale
Yale (provincial electoral district)
Yale was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia from the province's joining Confederation in 1871. It was a 3-member constituency and retained the name Yale until the 1894 election, at which time it was split into three ridings, Yale-East, Yale-North and...
. In 1886, Humphreys can unsuccessfully in Victoria District and then was defeated again when he ran for a federal seat. He was elected to the assembly for Comox in a December 1887 by-election held after Anthony Maitland Stenhouse
Anthony Maitland Stenhouse
Anthony Maitland Stenhouse was a Scottish-born political figure in British Columbia. He represented Comox in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1886 to 1887....
resigned his seat to become a Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
.
Humphreys helped promote the construction of the Lillooet–Burrard Inlet Cattle Trail
Lillooet Cattle Trail
The Lillooet Cattle Trail, also known as the Lillooet-Burrard Cattle Trail and also as the Lillooet Trail , was an unusual and daring public works undertaking by the Province of British Columbia in the 1877, and was the largest 19th Century public works expenditure at $35,000 of the new province...
, built from 1875 to 1877 to provide a more efficient route to coastal markets.
Humphreys died in office in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
at the age of 50.