Rev. George Ritchie Maxwell
Designation: Minister
Born: 11th January 1857
Died: 17th November 1902
Bio Notes:
George Maxwell was born in Stonehouse on 11th January 1857 (d. 17.11.1902, aged 45) and ordained a minister of the Church of Scotland in 1880. As the son of a miner, George entered the coal mines at the age of 11 before studying at Glasgow University. George emigrated to Canada in 1885 serving as a presbyterian minister in Quebec before settling in Vancover, British Columbia in 1890. This was the first Presbyterian Church in Canada seating 900 worshippers. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for British Columbia Burrard Riding in 1896 (re-elected 1900) serving with the Liberal/Labour Party of Canada until his death in 1902 with intestinal cancer. Described as a ‘social gospel’ clergyman, he helped found the Nationalist Party and was British Columbia’s first Labour Party MP in 1894.