By an Act of the British parliament passed in August , 1858, the new Colony of British Columbia was created.. The area of Northern British Columbia, up to the 60th degree of latitude was not extended until 1863.

The mainland, known as New Caledonia and British Columbia previously to 1866, was also long the domain of the Hudson's Bay Company, and it was not until 1858 that it became a crown colony.

On November 19th 1858, British Columbia was declared Crown Colony. The cermony took place in "The Big House" in  Fort Langley.

Judge Baillie Begbie, the newly apointed Chief Justice, swore in James Douglas as the first Governer of the new Crown Colony, British Columbia.


 

The following information was taken from ALEXANDER BEGG's book, The History of British Columbia December 1894:

GOVENOR JAMES DOUGLAS RESIGNED HIS FACTORSHIP.

” In compliance with Lord Lytton's request that Governor Douglas should sever all official connection with the Hudson Bay Company, and with the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, the governor informed his Lordship he had resigned his factorship and disposed of his stock, and would accept the offered governorship of the proposed new colony of British Columbia, which the recent gold discoveries had rendered necessary to be established without delay.

 

FORMER LICENSE REVOKED     ” BRITISH COLUMBIA MADE A COLONY".

”On the 2nd of September, 1858, the Crown revoked the privileges of exclusive trade with the Indians which had been granted on the 30th of May, 1838, for twenty-one years from that date, by passing an Act to provide for the government of British Columbia, which by that Act was created a colony.A proclamation was issued at Victoria, on the 3rd of November, by Governor Douglas, and a copy of the revocation published for the information and guidance of all persons interested therein. Thus ended the monopoly of the Hudson Bay Company on the mainland, west of the Rocky Mountains.

 

JAMES DOUGLAS MADE GOVERNOR OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.

” The proclamation of the revocation just referred to, was followed by another, dated from Fort Langley, 19th November, 1858. The commission appointing Governor Douglas also governor of the new colony, had arrived from London. Chief Justice Begbie had also arrived from England. To perform the ceremony of installing Governor Douglas into his new office, his Excellency was accompanied from Victoria by Rear-Admiral Baynes, Mr. Cameron, Chief Justice of Vancouver Island, Chief Justice Begbie, of the new colony, and several others, in H.M.S. Satellite, Captain Prevost. They anchored for the night at Point Roberts. Next morning the party was transferred to the Hudson Bay Company's steamer Otter, and thence to the Company's steamer Beaver, which was moored within the mouth of Fraser River.

THE REPORT STATES

" both vessels then proceeded in company as far as old Fort Langley, when the Otter disembarked a party of eighteen sappers, under the command of Captain Parsons. They embarked on the revenue cutter Recovery, joining the command of Captain Grant, R.E., who had previously reached this spot with a party of the same corps. The two captains mentioned had recently arrived from England, each in command of small detachments of the Royal Engineers.The Beaver then proceeded with his Excellency and suite aboard to new Fort Langley, when preparations were made for the ceremonial of the following day."

A GUARD OF HONOR, commanded by Captain Grant, was in readiness the next day (19th) to receive his Excellency and party as they disembarked. The morning was wet, and the road leading to the palisade rather slippery. As the party reached the top of the bank, a salute of eighteen guns was fired from the Beaver, and the British flag hoisted over the principal entrance to the fort. Owing to the unpropitious state of the weather, the meeting which was intended to have been held in the open air, was convened in a large room at the principal building. About one hundred persons were present.

THE CEREMONIES.

”His Excellency commenced the ceremonies by addressing Mr. Begbie, and delivering to him her Majesty's commission as judge in the colony of British Columbia (ipso facto Chief Justice). Mr. Begbie then took the oath of allegiance and the usual oaths on taking office ; thereafter, addressing his Excellency, he took up her Majesty's commission appointing Governor Douglas to the office of Governor of British Columbia. Mr. Begbie, having read the commission in full, administered to Governor Douglas the usual oaths of office, viz., allegiance, abjuration, etc.

His Excellency being thus -duly appointed and sworn in, proceeded to issue the proclamations of the same date (November 19th), viz.: One proclaiming the Act establishing the colony ; a second indemnifying all the officers of the Government from any irregularities which may have been committed in the interval before the proclamation of the Act; and a third proclaiming English law to be the law of the colony. The proclamation referring to the revocation of the exclusive privileges of the Hudson Bay Company, was also read. The proceedings then terminated. The governor did not leave the fort until next day, when a salute of seventeen guns was fired from the battlements. On leaving on the Beaver, his Excellency was loudly cheered.

A SALE OF LANGLEY TOWN LOTS, as previously advertised, came off from Victoria, on the 25th, 26th and 29th November. The land was laid out or divided into 183 blocks of five by ten chains, and the blocks subdivided into eighteen lots of 64 x 120 feet. Nineteen blocks were reserved for government uses in different portions of the town. The width of the streets was seventy-eight feet, with an alleyway of twelve feet in width through each block. The streets were not named. The new town was located upon the site of the old Fort Langley, thirty-three miles from the mouth of Fraser River. Upset price of lots, $100. Printed receipts for lots purchased were given, signed by J. D. Pemberton, acting Colonial Surveyor, and contained the following clause : " All interest in, and title to, the said lot, and to this instalment, to cease and become void, unless the balance is paid within the space of one calendar month from this date." The town as laid out and sold was named DERBY.

THE BIDDING on the first day of the sale was very spirited, at prices ranging from $150 to $750, according to location. About two hundred lots were sold, yielding $41,000. On the second day, up to one o'clock the bidding was lively, but the best lots having been sold, the prices obtained were not so high as the previous day, ranging from $100 to $400 per lot. The two days' sale showed about four hundred lots disposed of, the proceeds amounting to about $68,000. Before commencing the sale, the following announcement was made in regard to the rights of foreigners to hold and transfer real estate :

" 1st. According to the law of England, which is also the law of British Columbia, an alien may hold lands, but is liable to have them declared forfeited to the Crown at any time.

" 2nd. No alien can be disturbed in the possession of lands by any other person than the Crown authorities, by reason only of his being an alien.

" 3rd. The Colonial Government proposes to secure to aliens the full rights of possession and enjoyment of any lands which they may purchase at the sale for the space of three years. At the end of that time they must, if they wish to continue to hold the lands, either become themselves naturalized British subjects, or else convey their rights to British subjects.

" 4th. It is the intention of the Colonial Government to obtain from the home Government their sanction to measures for carrying into effect the above views, which measures are now in course of preparation. But they must depend for their full effect on the ratification by the home Government. By order of the Governor. Victoria, V. I., 25th November, 1858."

(Under Construction April 29 2011)