'...THE MAN FOR A NEW COUNTRY' Sir Matthew Baillie-Begbie

Hardback. This was the first biography of Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie, the first judge of British Columbia, who, after his death, became known as "The Hanging Judge". An extremely humane, literate, generous, humorous and fair-minded man, this misnomer has prevented appreciation of his well-rounded personality and of his importance in the development of British Columbia. He was one of a handful of officials sent out from Great Britain, in 1858 to administer the new Colony of British Columbia, and, after Confederation with Canada, he was Chief Justice of the province until he died in 1894. A successful lawyer in London, he left England to seek adventure. He found it quickly, during the gold rush days, and the Cariboo area, around Barkerville, was the locale of most of his work before 1871. This book is an account of a highly-talented man: speaker of several languages and Indian dialects; mathematician, meteorologist and cartographer; classical scholar and student of history and literature; musician and artist; hunter and outdoorsman; courageous judge. He ranks as an outstanding Canadian pioneer. Illus., Notes, Chronology, Governors, Premiers and Judiciary, Bibliog. and Index. 333pp. lge. 8vo. h/back. From the library of true-crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. Lacks half-title p. o/w Vg. in frayed nr. vg. pcdw. A fairly heavy book which may require additional postage.