Philip Henry Nind

Who was Philip Henry Nind?

Philip Henry Nind was an English rower and gold commissioner in colonial British Columbia.

Nind was born at Hawthorns, Berkshire, the son of Rev. Philip Henry Nind and his wife Agnes Bussell . He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford where he was a proficient rower. In the 1852 Boat Race, he rowed No 3 in the winning Oxford boat stroked by J W Chitty. At Henley Royal Regatta, he won Silver Goblets in 1852 partnering H R Barker and was also a member of the winning Oxford four in the Stewards' Challenge Cup. In 1853 Nind was a member of the winning Oxford eight in the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley and was also again in the winning Oxford four in Stewards' Challenge Cup. He was a member of the crew in the winning Oxford Boat in the 1854 Boat Race.

In 1860 Nind took the position of Gold Commissioner and JP for Cariboo, British Columbia as the Cariboo Gold Rush was just getting under way. William Pinchbeck accompanied Nind to Williams Lake to create a local government and bring law and order to the area. Nind had originally considered Fort Alexandria for this purpose but chose Williams Lake instead as it was at a junction of two main pack trails: one from the Douglas Road and another through the Fraser Canyon. While stationed in the Cariboo Nind wrote voluminous letters and reports to Governor Douglas in Victoria, B.C., telling him about the many developments taking place in the district. In 1861 Nind had a government house built and requested the construction of a jail. By the middle of the year he was severely overworked causing him insomnia and a nervous twitch, In October he requested leave and in December went to England. It took three men to replace him in the work he had been doing. He was succeeded as gold commissioner by Thomas Elwyn until Elwyn resigned later in the year through conflict of interest in having his own claim. Nind returned to British Columbia with his new wife in 1863. When the gold escort was temporarily revived in 1863 Elwyn was made second in command to Nind Nind was moved around from one backwater post to another until he resigned in 1866.