b. 1826
d. 1871
George Pearkes was born in Guildford, Surrey. He emigrated from England to eastern
Canada and then to California; he arrived at
Vancouver Island in 1858, where he became the colony's first practicing solicitor.
Douglas appointed Pearkes the first notary public in the colony on 3 August 1858 and the
first crown solicitor and attorney for the colony on 28 August 1858.
Pearkes was in private practice as a lawyer during his years on
Vancouver Island and maintained partnerships with Elisha Oscar Crosby, William Saunders Sebright Green,
and Edwin Johnson. On 27 December 1859, Pearkes was appointed a commissioner for California,
and from 1865 to 1866 he served as acting registrar general for
Vancouver Island. He died on 18 March 1871.
DCB 10 (1871-80), p. 587.BCDES 7.1.