5th Parliament of British Columbia


The 5th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia sat from 1887 to 1890. The members were elected in the British Columbia general election held in July 1886. William Smithe formed a government. Following his death in May 1887, Alexander Edmund Batson Davie became premier. After Davie died in 1889, John Robson became premier.
There were four sessions of the 5th Legislature:
SessionStartEnd
1stJanuary 24, 1887April 7, 1887
2ndJanuary 27, 1888April 28, 1888
3rdJanuary 31, 1889April 6, 1889
4thJanuary 23, 1890April 26, 1890

Charles Edward Pooley served as speaker from 1887 until 1889 when he was named to cabinet. David Williams Higgins succeeded Pooley as speaker.

Members of the 5th Parliament

The following members were elected to the assembly in 1886:
MemberElectoral districtPartyFirst elected / previously electedNo.# of term
George CowanCaribooGovernment18774th term-
Robert McLeeseCaribooOpposition18822nd term-
Joseph MasonCaribooGovernment18861st term-
Ithiel Blake Nason CaribooGovernment18881st term-
John GrantCassiarOpposition18822nd term-
Anthony Maitland StenhouseComoxOpposition18861st term-
Thomas Basil Humphreys ComoxIndependent Opposition1871, 18874th term*-
Henry CroftCowichanGovernment18861st term-
William SmitheCowichanGovernment18715th term-
Henry Fry CowichanGovernment18871st term-
David Williams HigginsEsquimaltGovernment18861st term-
Charles Edward PooleyEsquimaltGovernment18822nd term-
James BakerKootenayGovernment18861st term-
Edward AllenLillooetGovernment18822nd term-
Alexander Edmund Batson DavieLillooetGovernment1875, 18823rd term*-
Alfred Wellington Smith LillooetGovernment18891st term-
Robert DunsmuirNanaimoGovernment18822nd term-
William RaybouldNanaimoGovernment18822nd term-
George Thomson NanaimoIndependent18871st term-
Andrew Haslam NanaimoGovernment18891st term-
William Henry LadnerNew WestminsterOpposition18861st term-
James OrrNew WestminsterOpposition18822nd term-
John RobsonNew WestminsterGovernment1871, 18823rd term*-
William Norman BoleNew Westminster CityOpposition18861st term-
Thomas Cunningham New Westminster CityGovernment18891st term-
George William AndersonVictoriaGovernment18861st term-
Robert Franklin JohnVictoriaGovernment18822nd term-
James Tolmie VictoriaGovernment18891st term-
Robert BeavenVictoria CityOpposition18715th term-
Theodore DavieVictoria CityGovernment18822nd term-
Edward Gawler PriorVictoria CityGovernment18861st term-
John Herbert TurnerVictoria CityGovernment18861st term-
Simeon Duck Victoria CityGovernment1871, 1882, 18883rd term*-
George Bohun MartinYaleGovernment18822nd term-
Charles Augustus SemlinYaleOpposition1871, 18823rd term*-
Forbes George VernonYaleGovernment1875, 18863rd term*-

; Notes

By-elections

By-elections were held for the following members appointed to the provincial cabinet, as was required at the time:
By-elections were held to replace members for various other reasons:
Electoral districtMember electedElection dateReason
NanaimoGeorge ThomsonJanuary 3, 1887death of W. Raybould on December 3, 1886
CowichanHenry FryMay 5, 1887death of W. Smithe on March 28, 1887
ComoxThomas Basil HumphreysDecember 30, 1887A.M. Stenhouse resigned his seat to join the LDS Church
Victoria CitySimeon DuckJanuary 25, 1888E.G. Prior resigned his seat to contest federal by-election
VictoriaJames TolmieJune 30, 1888R.F. John resigned his seat to become warden of provincial jail in Victoria
CaribooIthiel Blake NasonNovember 26, 1888R. McLeese resigned his seat to contest federal by-electinn
NanaimoAndrew HaslamJune 14, 1889death of R. Dunsmuir on April 12, 1889
LillooetAlfred Wellington SmithSeptember 21, 1889death of A.E.B. Davie on August 1, 1889
New Westminster CityThomas CunninghamNovember 25, 1889resignation of H.N. Bole after being named to County Court of B.C.

Other changes