George Ritchie Maxwell

George Ritchie Maxwell
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Burrard
In office 1896–1902
Preceded by	Electoral district was created in 1902
Succeeded by	Robert George Macpherson
Personal details
Born	(1857-01-11)January 11, 1857 Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died	November 17, 1902(1902-11-17) (aged 45) Vancouver, British Columbia
Political party	Liberal

George Ritchie Maxwell (January 11, 1857 – November 17, 1902) was a Canadian Presbyterian minister and politician.

Born in Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, he was ordained a minister of the Church of Scotland in 1880. He migrated to Canada in 1885 serving as a minister in Quebec eventually setting in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1890.

In 1894, he founded the Nationalist Party, BC's first labour party. He ran as a candidate under that label for the British Columbia riding of Burrard in 1896. He was sometimes identified as a Liberal due to his opposition to the Conservative party. He was elected.

Running as a Liberal, he was re-elected in 1900.

He died in office in 1902 from intestinal cancer at the age of 45.

1900 Canadian federal election: Burrard
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	G.R. Maxwell	2,716	56.52	+8.31
	Conservative	James Ford Garden	2,089	43.48	+4.77
Total valid votes			4,805	100.0
	Liberal hold		Swing		+1.77

1896 Canadian federal election: Burrard
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	G.R. Maxwell	1,512	48.21
	Conservative	G.H. Cowan	1,214	38.71
	Conservative	W.J. Bowser	410	13.07
Total valid votes			3,136	100.0
This riding was created from New Westminster, which elected a Conservative in the previous election.

References

• "George Ritchie Maxwell". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.

External links

• George Ritchie Maxwell – Parliament of Canada biography