Colonial Despatches

Armed with a recommendation from Sir F.R. Stanford for whom he worked on financing the International Exhibition of 1862, D.C. Maunsell secured a post as private secretary to Governor A.E. Kennedy, shortly before the latter left Britain for Vancouver Island in December 1863.1 In less than a year he also served as private secretary for Governor Frederick Seymour in British Columbia.2 When Seymour died in 1869, Maunsell was retained briefly as private secretary to Administrator Philip Hankin, but was relieved when Anthony Musgrave arrived in August 1869 to replace Seymour.3 It is probable that Maunsell was the author of a pessimistic review of British Columbia's prospects of joining the Canadian Confederation, written in 1870.4

• 1. Musgrave to Granville, 16 October 1869, 12814, CO 60/36, p. 372.; Kennedy to Newcastle, 23 December 1863, 12455, CO 305/21, p. 312.
• 2. Seymour to Cardwell, 6 October 1864, 10956, CO 60/19, p. 306.
• 3. Hankin to Granville, 14 June 1869, 8079, CO 60/36, p. 12.; Musgrave to Granville, 16 October 1869, 12814, CO 60/36, p. 372.
• 4. Anonymous, transcribed by Marion Massey, Confederation of British Columbia with the Dominion of Canada & its annexation with the United States of America, Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies. Papers Lytton, Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer- (1803-1873) 1st Baron Lytton EK05_005 – EK05_138 (no date): 1-94.; Christopher Petter, letter to F.Leonard 31 May 2011.