b. 1806-05-03
d. 1856-10-13
Thomas Blinkhorn was born on
3 May 1806 in Sawtry, England. Blinkhorn is notable for being one of the earliest settlers on
Vancouver Island,
independent of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Blinkhorn arrived in
Victoria,
May 1851, after a farming career in Australia
from 1837 to 1849. Blinkhorn travelled to
Victoria from England with his friend, and previous HBC employee,
James Cooper. Once in
Victoria, Blinkhorn became the manager of
Cooper's farmland in
Metchosin, as
Cooper often travelled. Under his management, 60 acres of farmland was cultivated, and the beginnings of
a dairy farm established.
James Douglas worried that the development would challenge the monopoly that the HBC held on the
island. In response, thirteen independent settlers petitioned against
Douglas becoming the next governor. The petitioners were concerned about
Douglas's position as Chief Factor of the HBC in
Victoria, and how this would affect his political decisions.
Nonetheless,
Douglas made Blinkhorn a Magistrate of the Peace in
1853, as he believed Blinkhorn to be
qualified in point of character or education to fill the office.
However,
Douglas later complained that the magistrates were incompetent, and decided to establish
a Supreme Court of Civil Justice on
Vancouver Island under his brother-in-law,
David Cameron. Blinkhorn joined another petition sent to
Queen Victoria, complaining about
Douglas's nepotism, but ultimately failed.
Blinkhorn often travelled between
Metchosin and
Victoria by foot and canoe, as no roads had been built. On one such trip, he caught a cold
when he fell into icy waters. Blinkhorn died on
13 October 1856 and was buried in Christ Church,
Victoria.
- 1. Dorothy Blakely Smith. Blinkhorn, Thomas, Dictionary Of Canadian Biography.
- 2. Ibid.
- 3. Ibid.
- 4. Ibid.
- 5. Ibid.
- 6. Douglas to Newcastle, 11 April 1853, No. 5, 6979, CO 305/4, 20.
- 7. Smith, Blinkhorn, Thomas ; Cooper to Langford and Skinner to Newcastle, 20 April 1854, 5924, CO 305/5, 272.
- 8. Smith, Blinkhorn, Thomas.
- 9. Ibid.