Ritchie, John William National Historic Person
Halifax, Nova Scotia
John William Ritchie
© Library and Archives Canada, archival reference number R11942-4, PA-215420
Address :
Belmont-on-the-Arm, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1959-05-25
Life Date:
1808 to 1890
Other Name(s):
-
Ritchie, John William
(Designation Name)
Research Report Number:
2008-007
Importance:
Father of Confederation, Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice (1870-82)
Plaque(s)
No plaque in place, recommended location: Belmont-on-the-Arm, Nova Scotia
Approved Inscription: Belmont-on-the-Arm, Nova Scotia
A gifted lawyer, legislator, and judge, this Father of Confederation helped pave the way for Nova Scotia's reluctant entry into the new Dominion. He was a member of this colony's legislature and served as solicitor general (1864 1867) before acting as a delegate to the London Conference in 1866 1867, which finalized the terms of the federal union of the British North American colonies. After championing Confederation in the Legislative Council, Ritchie was appointed to Canada's first Senate and later served on the Nova Scotia Supreme Court before retiring to his estate, Belmont, in 1882.
Approved 2008