George Ritchie Maxwell

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

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.[1] 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.
  1. ^ Encyclopedia of BC, p. 486