The Order of the Dogwood was the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
's highest civilian honour for public service from 1966 to 1989, during which time 13 individuals were granted the honour of being appointed to the order.
History
The predecessor to the Order of the Dogwood, called the Dogwood Medallion, was created by the
provincial Crown-in-Council in 1958 to commemorate the centennial of the establishment of the
Colony of British Columbia. The Order of the Dogwood was created by
order-in-council
An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council (''Kin ...
during a provincial
Cabinet meeting held at
Fort Langley
Fort Langley is a village community in Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada. It has a population of approximately 3,400 people. It is the home of Fort Langley National Historic Site, a former fur trade post of the Hudson's Bay Company ...
on November 19, 1966, to mark the centennial of the union of the Colony of British Columbia with the
Colony of Vancouver Island
The Colony of Vancouver Island, officially known as the Island of Vancouver and its Dependencies, was a Crown colony of British North America from 1849 to 1866, after which it was united with the mainland to form the Colony of British Columbia ...
.
Immediately following the meeting,
Lieutenant Governor George Pearkes
Major-General George Randolph Pearkes, (February 28, 1888 – May 30, 1984) was a Canadian politician and soldier. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded to British and Imperi ...
(a future appointee to the order) gave consent to the creation of the honour, which was then presented to the first recipients at the Douglas Day dinner that evening.
The first five recipients were
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the l ...
,
The Viscount Amory (then Governor of the
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business di ...
), Sir
Robert Bellinger
Sir Robert Ian Bellinger, (10 March 1910 – 8 July 2002) was a British politician and Lord Mayor of London.
Bellinger was born in Gloucestershire and raised in Fulham, London where he attended All Saints church school. Following his father's ...
(then
Lord Mayor of London
The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional pow ...
),
Clarence Wallace, and
Frank Mackenzie Ross; Bellinger and Ross were present for the ceremony.
The Order of the Dogwood was the highest provincial honour until 1989, when it was replaced by the
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia (french: Ordre de la Colombie-Britannique) is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier ...
.
The last person granted the Order of the Dogwood was
Terry Fox
Terrance Stanley Fox (July 28, 1958 June 28, 1981) was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated due to cancer, he embarked on an east-to-west cross-Canada run to raise money ...
, who received it in 1980.
The award
The granting of the award was not limited to British Columbia residents.
The award could not be granted to a person currently holding public office under the authority of the province.
Recipients received a medal struck in gold, bearing the image of the
dogwood
''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or shru ...
flower on one side and the provincial
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...
on the other.
Recipients also received a certificate issued under the Great Seal of British Columbia.
List of recipients
Between 1966 and 1989, a total of 13 individuals
were granted the Order of the Dogwood:
*
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1966)
*
The Viscount Amory (1966)
*
Robert Bellinger
Sir Robert Ian Bellinger, (10 March 1910 – 8 July 2002) was a British politician and Lord Mayor of London.
Bellinger was born in Gloucestershire and raised in Fulham, London where he attended All Saints church school. Following his father's ...
(1966)
*
Clarence Wallace (1966)
*
Frank Mackenzie Ross (1966)
*
Princess Alexandra (1967)
*
Nancy Greene Raine (1968)
*
George Pearkes
Major-General George Randolph Pearkes, (February 28, 1888 – May 30, 1984) was a Canadian politician and soldier. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded to British and Imperi ...
(1968)
*
Queen Elizabeth II (1971)
*
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...
(1971)
*
Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950), is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of K ...
(1971)
*
Terry Fox
Terrance Stanley Fox (July 28, 1958 June 28, 1981) was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated due to cancer, he embarked on an east-to-west cross-Canada run to raise money ...
(1980)
See also
*
Orders, decorations, and medals of the Canadian provinces
The orders, decorations, and medals of the Canadian provinces, in which each province of Canada has devised a system of orders and other awards to honour residents for actions or deeds that benefit their local community or province, are in turn sub ...
References
{{Topics on British Columbia
Provincial and territorial orders of Canada
History of British Columbia
British Columbia awards