Fonds 2002.7 - H.G.T. (Harry) Perry fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

H.G.T. (Harry) Perry fonds

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    • Source of title proper: Title based on creator of fonds

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    Fonds

    Reference code

    2002.7

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    Statement of scale (cartographic)

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    Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

    Dates of creation area

    Date(s)

    • 1877-1960 (Creation)
      Creator
      Perry, Harry G.T.

    Physical description area

    Physical description

    3.18 m of textual records and other material

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    Name of creator

    Biographical history

    H.G.T. (Harry) Henry George Thomas Perry is considered a founding father of Prince George. –Born March 18th, 1889 in Whitwick, Leicestershire, England, he was educated at Coalville Belvoir Road Wesleyan School and at Loughborough Grammar School. Perry was married to the former Florence Annie Smith of Leicestershire, England. They had two sons, Frank (later Judge Perry of Prince George) and Sidney (pharmacist). - H.G.T. Perry came to Canada in 1910 and to Prince George, British Columbia in 1912, on the BX Sternwheeler. He first established Perry's Shoe Store (a menswear establishment) and later established a real estate and insurance business. He founded the local faction of the Liberal Party in Prince George & Peace River area. He was the first President of the Fort George District & PG Local Liberal Associations from 1912 until he retired to Victoria c.1958. He was elected School Trustee in Fort George (P.G.) from 1912-1914. In addition, Perry was a director for the Prince George Theatre Ltd. and Chairman of the Joint Committee for Incorporation of PG. - Perry first served as President of the Board of Trade (1914) before entering civic politics and served as Prince George Mayor (1917-1918; and 1920) before entering provincial politics. He was also the owner and editor of several regional newspapers, including the Fort George Tribune, The Prince George Citizen, The Nechako Chronicle and the Prince Rupert Daily News. Perry went on to provincial politics running for the Liberal Party and was Speaker of the BC Legislature for Fort George from 1920-1928 & 1933-1945. During his political career he served also as Secretary and Chairman of the Municipal and Agricultural Committees of the Legislature and was a Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1924 to 1928. Perry served also as Provincial Minister of Education from 1941-45. Perry also served as President of the BC Branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association in the BC Parliament and attended its overseas conference of delegates in the UK during King George V Silver Jubilee Year in 1935. - HGT Perry is best known as Chairman of the provincial government’s Post-War Rehabilitation Council (1942-45), the first of its kind in Canada. Mr. Perry left provincial politics after an election defeat in 1945. Known as the “golden tongue orator”1 HGT Perry is also remembered for other improvements he oversaw as a provincial minister: improving educational facilities and teachers salaries in rural schools; for establishing Home Economics and Spanish courses at UBC; for instituting the Cameron Commission; for advocating for the rights of the Japanese, and others, during WWII, and is known as “the man who saved and extended the PGE.”2 In addition to these accomplishments, he played an instrumental role for many infrastructure projects: development of a highway south to the Cariboo Region; building of the Peace River Highway; reservation of one million acres of land in Central B.C. for veterans; creation of a Library distribution centre; and the extension of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway. Harry Perry died in Victoria, of a heart attack, in 1959 at the age of 70.

    Scope and content

    Fonds consists of records relating to the personal, business and political life of H.G.T. Perry and as such, has been divided into the following four series: 1) Photographs; 2) Political Activities; 3) Business Ventures; 4) Personal Life; and 5) Miscellaneous Historical Information Files. Also includes material relating to his son, Frank Perry, and his failed political campaign. Includes World War II and Post-War printed materials.

    Types of records included in this fonds include Speakers' Decisions (1877-1943) in the BC Legislative Assembly, maps, publications, reports, correspondence, advertisements, telegrams, resolutions, minutes, annual reports, telegrams, resolutions, reports, speeches, press releases, proposals, plans, charts, file notes, memoranda, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, ephemera, postcards and photographs.

    Notes area

    Arrangement

    Arrangement has been imposed by the Archivist

    Language of material

    • English

    Script of material

      Location of originals

      Availability of other formats

      Restrictions on access

      Some materials may be restricted -- please consult archivist.

      Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

      Personal or academic use of materials is welcomed under the standard fair dealing and educational use clauses of Canadian Copyright Law. Commercial use is, however, forbidden without the express permission of the copyright holder. For information on obtaining written permission from the copyright holder, please contact the Northern B.C. Archives and Special Collections.

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      General note

      Related material at the Northern BC Archives includes:
      2001.32 - Barb Harkins fonds, which contains letters from Gray Turgeon (M.P.) to H.G.T. Perry. Also includes some correspondence files of Frank Perry (former judge).
      2004.14 - The Peace River Expedition Photograph Collection, which contains a photo album relating to a 1928 Peace River expedition taken by Perry.

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