Edward Gawler Prior, engineer, businessman, politician, premier 21 November 1902 - 1 June 1903, Lieutenant Governor 1919-20. Born 21 May 1853, Dallaghgill, England; died 12 December 1920, Victoria.
The son of a village parson in Yorkshire, he trained as a mining engineer and came to BC in 1873 as assistant manager of a Nanaimo coal mining company.
In 1878 he became inspector of mines, then held a series of government posts until 1880, when he resigned to go into the hardware business.
A Conservative, Prior won election to the legislature in 1886, then served as MP for Victoria from 1888 to 1896, when he lost his seat because of election irregularities.
He was re-elected to the provincial legislature in 1900 and became minister of mines. When James Dunsmuir resigned as Premier, the Lieutenant Governor chose Prior to succeed him.
Prior was active in the militia and in his business until 18 December 1919, when he was appointed Lieutenant Governor. A year later he became the only BC Lieutenant Governor to die in office.