Person

Matthew Baillie Begbie

1819–1894 · 19th century

Matthew Baillie Begbie was an English-born lawyer who became the first judge of the colony of British Columbia in 1858. Travelling on circuit on horseback through the goldfields, he enforced British law among the miners and earned a reputation for firmness. He was chief justice of British Columbia from 1870 until his death.

Matthew Baillie Begbie
Image: Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Colony of British Columbia (1858-1866)

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Matthew Baillie Begbie. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/matthew-baillie-begbie
MLA
“Matthew Baillie Begbie.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/matthew-baillie-begbie. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Matthew Baillie Begbie.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/matthew-baillie-begbie.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Matthew Baillie Begbie’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/matthew-baillie-begbie (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻