Henry Pybus Bell-Irving
Encyclopedia
Henry Pybus "Budge" Bell-Irving, OC
, DSO
, OBE
, OBC
, ED
, CD
(January 21, 1913 - September 21, 2002) was the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
from 1978 to 1983.
Born in Vancouver
, he was educated at Shawnigan Lake School
on Vancouver Island
and Loretto at Musselburgh
, Scotland
. He returned to attend the University of British Columbia
, but dropped out due to the war. During World War II
, Bell-Irving was a soldier in the contingent of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and commanded a company of the battalion in Sicily
and Italy
and northwest Europe
before becoming the commander of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade.
Next he returned to Vancouver and he joined his family real estate company, Bell-Irving Insurance Agencies, which later merged with A.E. LePage in 1972. In 1974 he was elected Chairman of the Vancouver Board of Trade
.
In 1978, Governor General
Jules Léger
, on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
, appointed him Lieutenant-Governor of BC.
Bell-Irving met his wife, Nancy, while attending UBC and was married in April 1937.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, OBC
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
, ED
Canadian Efficiency Decoration
The Canadian Efficiency Decoration was a Canadian military award given to officers of the non-permanent active militia, RCAF Auxiliary and Reserve who completed twenty years of meritorious military service. Similar Efficiency Decorations were also awarded by other Commonwealth countries. A bar...
, CD
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
(January 21, 1913 - September 21, 2002) was the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
The Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia is the viceregal representative in British Columbia of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared with equally the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest...
from 1978 to 1983.
Born in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, he was educated at Shawnigan Lake School
Shawnigan Lake School
Shawnigan Lake School is a private boarding school, located in Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada. It was founded by Englishman, Christopher Windley 'C. W.' Lonsdale in 1916, and partly modelled on one of England's leading private schools, Westminster School.- Location :Shawnigan Lake School...
on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
and Loretto at Musselburgh
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He returned to attend the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, but dropped out due to the war. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Bell-Irving was a soldier in the contingent of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and commanded a company of the battalion in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and northwest Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
before becoming the commander of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade.
Next he returned to Vancouver and he joined his family real estate company, Bell-Irving Insurance Agencies, which later merged with A.E. LePage in 1972. In 1974 he was elected Chairman of the Vancouver Board of Trade
Vancouver Board of Trade
The Vancouver Board of Trade is a non-profit organization which seeks to "promote, enhance and facilitate the development of the region as a Pacific centre for trade, commerce and travel." It serves Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in a fashion similar to the Board of Trade or Chamber of...
.
In 1978, Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Jules Léger
Jules Léger
Jules Léger was a Canadian diplomat and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 21st since Canadian Confederation....
, on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
, appointed him Lieutenant-Governor of BC.
Bell-Irving met his wife, Nancy, while attending UBC and was married in April 1937.
Honours
- 1984 - he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
- 1985 - he received the Order of British Columbia.
- 1986 - he was appointed Freeman of the City of Vancouver