H.G.T. (Harry) Perry fonds (1910-1967) - 2002.7

Perry was involved in provincial politics (1920-1945):

• Chairman of the provincial government’s Post-War Rehabilitation Council (1942-45)
• Founded the local faction of the Liberal Party in Prince George & Peace River area
• First President of the Fort George District & PG Local Liberal Associations (1912-1958)
• Chairman of the Joint Committee for Incorporation of PG
• Speaker of the BC Legislature for Fort George (1920-1928; 1933-1945)
• Secretary and Chairman of the Municipal and Agricultural Committees of the Legislature and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly (1924-1928)
• Provincial Minister of Education (1941-45)
• President of the BC Branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association

He was also the owner and editor of several regional newspapers: Fort George Tribune, The Prince George Citizen, The Nechako Chronicle, and the Prince Rupert Daily News.

He played an instrumental role in many infrastructure projects:

• development of a highway south to Cariboo Region
• building of the Peace River Highway
• reservation of 1 million acres of land in Central B.C. for veterans and extension of Pacific Great Eastern Railway

Physical Extent: 3.18 m of textual records and other material

Records series: 1) Photographs; 2) Political Activities; 3) Business Ventures; 4) Personal Life; and 5) Miscellaneous Historical Information Files and includes Speakers' Decisions (1877-1943) from the BC Legislative Assembly and Perry’s annotations. A sub-series includes materials relating to his son Frank Perry and his unsuccessful political campaign. See also the Peace River Expedition Photograph Collection contains a photo album relating to an exploratory 1928 Peace River expedition taken by HGT Perry and others regarding a proposed extension of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway to Prince George and the Peace River Region.

Images (top to bottom):

• 2002.7.1.54 - HGT Perry sitting in the BC Legislature
• 2002.7.1.38 - Prince Rupert Daily News - Press Room