Joseph Trutch

Sir Joseph William Trutch (1826-XXX) was a prominent figure in the history of British Columbia. He was the province's first Lietenant Governor.

He was born in Ashcot, England and came to the Pacific Coast in 1849 where he practiced as a civil engineer in California and Oregon until 1856 when he did some work on the Illinois and Michigan canel. In 1959 he came to British Columbia and worked on various public works including the Cariboo Road and the Alexandria Suspension bridge.

He was also involved in the government as Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works and Surveyor General of the colony of British Columbia until its union in 1871. He was appointed Lietenant Governor of the provinces on July 1st, 1871.

In 1870, he lead the province's delegation to Ottawa to arrange the terms for British Columbia to join Canada and in 1871 went to London to complete the union. He held the position of Lietenatn Governor until July 1st, 1876 when he retired from public life.

He was knighted in 1887.

His brother, John Trutch was an engineer who worked on some of the surveys for the Canadian Pacific Railway in British Columbia.

Reference

Kerr (1890) - Biographical dictionary of well-known British Columbians, pp 311. (Online)