Fonds PR-0880 - John Sebastian Helmcken fonds

John Sebastian Helmcken was born in London in 1824. He apprenticed to become a chemist and druggist and in 1844 he registered to become a doctor at Guy's Hospital and was admitted to the Royal College of Surgeons in March 1848. Two months later he was serving as surgeon on board the Malacca until 1849 when he received an appointment from the Hudson's Bay Company as surgeon and clerk. He arrived in Esquimalt in 1850. In 1852, he married Cecilia Douglas, eldest daughter of Governor James Douglas. In 1856, Helmcken was elected to represent Esquimalt and Victoria District in the Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island, serving as speaker until union with British Columbia in 1866. He later served on the Executive Council of B.C. He retired from politics in 1871, upon B.C.'s entry into Confederation.

Helmcken also served as president of the Board of Directors of the Royal Hospital, remained physician to Victoria's jail until 1910 and contributed numerous articles on the early history of Vancouver Island in his later life. Dr. Helmcken died on September 1, 1920.