James Baker (Canadian politician)
Encyclopedia
James Baker was an English
-born soldier and British Columbia
political figure. He represented Kootenay
from 1886 to 1890, East Kootenay
from 1890 to 1898 and East Kootenay South
from 1898 to 1900 in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
.
He was born in London
, the son of Samuel Baker, and was educated at the Collegiate School, Gloucester and at Cambridge University. In 1855, Baker married Sarah Louise White. He entered the Indian Navy in 1865, taking part in a survey of the Arabian coast and the suppression of the slave trade. Baker later joined the British Army
and fought in the Crimea. In 1875, he retired at the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Baker was author of the book Turkey in Europe. He was employed for a time as the private secretary of the Duke of Westminster.
In 1885, he came with his family to British Columbia, settling first at Skookumchuck and later near the present site of Cranbrook
. Baker was involved in plans to develop coal deposits in Crowsnest Pass
area and later in plans to construct a railway connecting British Columbia and Alberta through the Pass. Eventually, he and his partners came to an agreement with the Canadian Pacific Railway
. The choice of a route passing through Cranbrook and bypassing Fort Steele led to the development of Cranbrook as the major centre in the area. Baker served in the provincial cabinet as Provincial Secretary and Minister of Education, Immigration and Mines. In 1900, he retired to England. He died in Inglewood, Parkstone
, Dorset
at the age of 76.
Baker supported a head tax
on the entry of Chinese and Japanese person into the province.
His brother Samuel
was a British explorer and his brother Valentine
was a British soldier who served in Turkey.
Baker Street in Nelson
and in Cranbrook were named after Colonel Baker.
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 soldier and 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...
political figure. He represented Kootenay
Kootenay (provincial electoral district)
Kootenay was a provincial electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada, from 1871 to 1890. It was originally a two-member riding until the 1875 election; from 1878, it was a one-member seat until its partition for the 1890 election into East Kootenay and West Kootenay...
from 1886 to 1890, East Kootenay
East Kootenay (provincial electoral district)
Kootenay East is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada...
from 1890 to 1898 and East Kootenay South
East Kootenay South
East Kootenay South was an electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia in the 1898 and 1900 elections. Its official name was East Kootenay . It was created by the partition of the old East Kootenay riding which also created its sibling, East Kootenay...
from 1898 to 1900 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 London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Samuel Baker, and was educated at the Collegiate School, Gloucester and at Cambridge University. In 1855, Baker married Sarah Louise White. He entered the Indian Navy in 1865, taking part in a survey of the Arabian coast and the suppression of the slave trade. Baker later joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and fought in the Crimea. In 1875, he retired at the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Baker was author of the book Turkey in Europe. He was employed for a time as the private secretary of the Duke of Westminster.
In 1885, he came with his family to British Columbia, settling first at Skookumchuck and later near the present site of Cranbrook
Cranbrook, British Columbia
Cranbrook, British Columbia is a city in southeast British Columbia, located on the west side of the Kootenay River at its confluence with the St. Mary's River, It is the largest urban centre in the region known as the East Kootenay. As of 2006, Cranbrook's population is 18,267, and the...
. Baker was involved in plans to develop coal deposits in Crowsnest Pass
Crowsnest Pass
Crowsnest Pass is a high mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta/British Columbia border.-Geography:...
area and later in plans to construct a railway connecting British Columbia and Alberta through the Pass. Eventually, he and his partners came to an agreement with the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
. The choice of a route passing through Cranbrook and bypassing Fort Steele led to the development of Cranbrook as the major centre in the area. Baker served in the provincial cabinet as Provincial Secretary and Minister of Education, Immigration and Mines. In 1900, he retired to England. He died in Inglewood, Parkstone
Parkstone
Parkstone is an area of Poole, Dorset. It is divided into 'Lower' and 'Upper' Parkstone. Upper Parkstone - "Up-on-'ill" as it used to be known in local parlance - is so-called because it is largely on higher ground slightly to the north of the lower-lying area of Lower Parkstone - "The Village" -...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
at the age of 76.
Baker supported a head tax
Head tax (Canada)
The Chinese head tax was a fixed fee charged to each Chinese person entering Canada. The head tax was first levied after the Canadian parliament passed the Chinese Immigration Act of 1885 and was meant to discourage Chinese people from entering Canada after the completion of the Canadian Pacific...
on the entry of Chinese and Japanese person into the province.
His brother Samuel
Samuel Baker
Sir Samuel White Baker, KCB, FRS, FRGS was a British explorer, officer, naturalist, big game hunter, engineer, writer and abolitionist. He also held the titles of Pasha and Major-General in the Ottoman Empire and Egypt. He served as the Governor-General of the Equatorial Nile Basin between Apr....
was a British explorer and his brother Valentine
Valentine Baker
Valentine Baker , British soldier, was a younger brother of Sir Samuel Baker.-Biography:...
was a British soldier who served in Turkey.
Baker Street in Nelson
Nelson, British Columbia
Nelson is a city located in the Selkirk Mountains on the extreme West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Known as "The Queen City", and acknowledged for its impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory days in a regional silver rush,...
and in Cranbrook were named after Colonel Baker.