A Leap of Faith:The Early Years of The Reverend Edward CridgeBy Robert G. DennisonDr. Dennison is agraduate of theUniversity ofToronto, with aninterest in late 19thcentury Canadianhistory, <strong>news</strong>papersand social behavioursof the day.Iam persuaded that it is no chance which has broughtme to stand before you today as your minister, orwhich has caused you to assemble together as a flockcommitted to my care. I did not leave my formercharge, that of a populous district near London, withoutevident token of the over ruling hand of God; andwhatsoever may have been the train of events which causedthe vacancy which I was called upon to fill… 1The speaker, age 37, a solemn, clean-shavenman of medium height and build spoke to the bustlingthrong. Silence descended upon the room in the logfort as the gathering crowd strained to hear the wordsfrom the newly appointed Hudson’s Bay Companychaplain and minister for the district of Victoria, theReverend Edward Cridge. He and his wife, Mary, tenyears his junior, arrived at Fort Victoria, on a rainySunday April 1, 1855, a week before this his firstservice. On that day, Robert Melrose working on theCraigflower farm jotted a note in his diary. “ShipMarquis of Bute arrived from England, brought aminister. Showers.” 2 In his perfunctory remarks, thenew minister, reminded the congregation, whichincluded Governor James Douglas and family, theHudson’s Bay Company officers and their families,and assorted settlers, that he had given up manyadvantages. What train of events influenced him toaccept the Hudson’s Bay Company LondonCommittee’s offer?The Reverend Cridge and his wife Mary sailedfrom Gravesend, England, September 20, 1854, on theMarquis of Bute, a 469 ton barque, 3 chartered by theHudson’s Bay Company. Along with their twenty-onefellow passengers they watched as the lights of theirnative land disappeared in the distance at thebeginning of this six-month voyage. They suffered thelack of fresh fruits and water, battled heavy seas andpelting rain, safely rounded the ghostly but dangerouscoastline of Cape Horn enduring freezing cold andthen hot sun. All the passengers would suffer sometype of sickness, both Mary and Edward had frequentbouts of illness. In fact, Mary became very concernedwith her husband’s condition. By letter she informedher sister-in-law Elizabeth Cridge in England, of seasickness, arthritis, intestinal problems, toothache andskin lesions plaguing the minister throughout thevoyage, making it necessary for him to spend muchof the journey in his cabin. 4 When he was up andabout, Captain J. Moir asked him to conduct servicesand Bible studies for the passengers and ship’s crew,and although this task required great effort, theReverend Cridge managed to provide some religiousleadership. This trip replaced their honeymoon, forEdward and Mary married six days before they sailed.Although full of excitement and a sense of adventuretheir thoughts must often have turned to family andfriends they had left behind. Nevertheless, the couplewould have many hours to reflect on this importantcrossroads in their lives. How had they reached thispoint?Edward Cridge was born December 17, 1817 inBratton-Fleming, near Barnstaple, North Devon,England. His father, John Cridge, struggled to raisefour young children after his frail wife Grace diedshortly after the birth of their youngest child,Elizabeth, in 1820. Although the father was aschoolmaster, the family finances were very tenuous,as John, according to his brother Richard, looked uponmoney and all people who pursued wealth withdisdain. 5 Influenced by their school master father, itwas small surprise that as they matured the children,Richard, Mary, Edward and Elizabeth all quicklysecured some form of employment relating toeducation. Brother Richard and sister Elizabethremained by the family home in North Devon, whilesister Mary resided in Southgate. In 1834, Edward ageseventeen started work as a master at a private schoolin North Molton, Devon. 6 In fact, it was the sameprivate school he himself first attended as a youngboy, before transferring to the South Molton grammarschool.Edward only remained at the North Moltonschool for two years then at age nineteen, in search ofa better income accepted the position as third masterat Oundle Grammar School. 7 He moved severalhundred miles west to the county ofNorthamptonshire in an area of lush agriculture. Herehe stayed for almost six years honing his methodsand skills and increasing his inadequate income byhiring out as a private tutor. John Shillibeer,headmaster of Oundle grammar school until April1841, wrote that Cridge “conducted himself to myentire satisfaction”. Continuing his evaluation he feltthe young man, “competent to undertakemathematics…Latin authors…junior forms ofGreek… every department of writing and arithmetic”.His character was deemed “active, efficient andtrustworthy”. 8 In May this assessment was echoedby the Shilibeer’s successor, Henry Freeman, theRector of Folkmouth. 9 By the middle of the same year,Edward Cridge was in the county of Leicestershirehaving accepted the position of private tutor for the4 BRITISH COLUMBIA HISTORY - Vol. 39 No. 1
son of Edward Griffin, the Rector of Stoke Albany,for two months. Even this short time impressed Griffinto write a testimony to young Cridge’s “ability andgood conduct…as a scholar and gentleman, and aChristian…” another excellent reference for futurepositions. For the last six months of 1841,Edward Cridge assisted William Cockinof Oxford and became known for hishigh moral character and mildbut firm manner, which wouldbe of “great value in anydepartment of education”. 10In January 1842 suchtestimonials wereenough to persuadeGeorge Jenyns ofBottisham Hall nearCambridge to hireCridge as tutor forhis two sons,Soame Gambierand CharlesFitzgeraldGambier. WhenCridge left theJenyns family in1844 his referenceemphasized his“sound moralr e l i g i o u sprincipals…excellentmoral conduct,…gentlemanlikemanners and fellings”. 11George Jenynstook a keen interest inEdward Cridge and lavishedencouragement upon himwhen the young man sought toenter Cambridge University.Bottisham Hall had longstandingconnections with the university andperhaps through Jenyns’ connections youngCridge wrote the matriculation examination April 24,1844. The results allowed him to register in St. John’sCollege as a sizar and chapel clerk. Such was hisperformance that by October 22 of the same year, hewas able to transfer to St. Peter’s College (Peterhouse)as a full-fledged scholar. By this time, he was 27 yearsold and a man on a mission. He knew that because hehad no wealthy family connections or financialresources to draw upon he must achieve his goalthrough intellectual success. After two years ofintensive study, he attained the status of a Gisbornescholar in mathematics. 12 He still, however, found timeto relax with his cello and university sports. Also, likemany other concerned citizens in Englandhe worked to aid the Irish peoplein the Great Potato Faminebeginning with the firstblight in 1845. Three yearslater on February 6,1848, was a greatday for EdwardCridge, as notonly did hegraduate withhis B.A., withhonours fromthe UniversityofCambridge,but he wasa l s oordainedas a deaconatNorwichCathedralby Bishopthe RightReverendEdwardStanley.Coincidentally,in August, thatyear, 13 BishopStanley presidedover the service forRobert J. Staines toreceive Holy Orders, asdeacon and priest by specialpermission in order to serve aschaplain for the Hudson’s Bay Companyat Fort Victoria. Edward Cridge acknowledged heknew Staines from his university days. In fact herecalled attending the ordination at NorwichCathedral so it is quite possible that Staines told himof his acceptance as chaplain and may have evenhinted he would only remain for five years beforereturning to England. By September, 1848, theReverend Cridge, chaplainto the hudson’s BayCompaany<strong>BC</strong> Archives photo A01205BRITISH COLUMBIA HISTORY - Vol. 39 No. 1 5
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