Alexander Edmund Batson Davie

Alexander Edmund Batson Davie, QC, referred to as A. E. B. Davie[1] (November 24, 1847 – August 1, 1889), was the eighth premier of British Columbia. He served in office from 1887 until his death in 1889.[2]

Alexander Edmund Batson Davie
Hon. Alexander Edmund Batson Davie
8th Premier of British Columbia
In office April 1, 1887 – August 1, 1889
Monarch	Victoria
Lieutenant Governor	Hugh Nelson
Preceded by	William Smithe
Succeeded by	John Robson
MLA for Cariboo
In office September 11, 1875 – May 22, 1878 Serving with George Anthony Walkem, John Evans
Preceded by	Joseph Hunter
Succeeded by	George Cowan
MLA for Lillooet
In office July 24, 1882 – August 1, 1889 Serving with Edward Allen
Preceded by	William Brown
Succeeded by	Alfred Wellington Smith
Personal details
Born	(1847-11-24)November 24, 1847 Somerset, England
Died	August 1, 1889(1889-08-01) (aged 41) Victoria, British Columbia
Political party	None
Spouse	Constance Langford Skinner ​ ​ (m. 1874)​

Called to the bar in 1873, he was the first person to receive his entire law education in British Columbia. Davie was first elected to the provincial legislature in 1875 from the riding of Cariboo as independent opposition candidate.[3] He lost his seat in 1877[4] after a brief stint in the cabinet of Premier Andrew Charles Elliott, as provincial secretary. Davie returned to the legislature in 1882, this time from the riding of Lillooet, and became attorney-general under Premier William Smithe. He went to Ottawa and argued before the Supreme Court of Canada in favour of provincial rights pleading that the province had a right to regulate its liquor sales.

When Smithe died in 1887, the lieutenant-governor asked Davie to become premier but he fell ill within months and left for California to recuperate. In his absence, Provincial Secretary John Robson ran the government on a day-to-day basis, though Davie attempted to direct policy in his letters to Robson. He returned in May 1888, but his health was in a poor state, and he ultimately died in office the following August.[2]

Davie Street in Vancouver is named for him.[5] He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in September 1883.[6] His brother, Theodore Davie, later became premier in 1892.

Davie was married December 3, 1874, to Constance Langford Skinner of Maple Bay, British Columbia. They had four children.[7] Alexander Edmund Batson Davie is interred in the Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria, British Columbia.