Sir James Douglas was the Chief Factor of Fort Victoria for the Hudson's Bay Company and later became the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia from 1851 to 1864. He was largely responsible for ensuring that both the Island and mainland of B.C. remained British after the withdrawal of the Hudson's Bay Company.
In gratitude for his service, the people of British Columbia erected this eight metre (27 feet) tall obelisk on the front lawns of what was then the Birdcages in 1879. It was constructed of marble by Mortimer and Reid.
The funeral for Douglas is believed to be one of the largest at the time. Although the total number of attendees is unknown, the procession is said to have included 63 carriages and was over a kilometre in length.
