Cridge Family
Cridge Family Gravesite - Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria BC. Photo by Rachel Perkins
Edward Cridge was born Dec. 17, 1817, in Devonshire, England. After graduating from Cambridge University, he became vicar at Christ Church, in the parish of West Ham near London. When he learned the Hudson’s Bay Company was seeking a chaplain for the fort on Southern Vancouver Island, he applied for the job and was accepted. He proposed to parishoner Mary Winmill who agreed to marry him and join him in this great adventure. (Mary Winmill was born in Essex, England on April 15, 1827.)
On September 20, 1854, they sailed from Gravesend aboard the Marquis of Bute. Over six months later, in March of 1855, after a journey around South America and via the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), they were welcomed to the fort by Governor James Douglas.
On August 12, 1856, he said the prayers at the inaugural meeting of the first meeting of the elected House of Assembly, held in a small room at the fort and was named Clerk of the Assembly.
Edward and Mary had nine children, four of whom died in the black measles epidemic of 1865. One of them was Ellen, born March 18, 1867.
Ellen married Thomas Herbert Laundy, on Sept. 17, 1891. (He was with the Bank of British Columbia, subsequently the Bank of Commerce, at the branch at Fort and Government streets)
Ellen and Herbert had six children, the youngest of whom were twins Edward and Arthur Laundy (my father).
Arthur married Dorothy Kennedy in 1939. They had two children; myself, David Arthur Laundy, born on January 16, 1942 and my younger brother, Robert Lynn Laundy, born on June 22, 1945.
Submitted by Dave Laundy (wife Janet)
descendant of Edward and Mary Cridge
(chaplain to Fort Victoria)
Posted on May 6, 2011, in Cridge Family, Fort Victoria, History and tagged Family History, Pioneers, Victoria. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Fort Victoria Descendants 
I have some books dating back to the latter part of the 19th century that belonged to the Cridge family. First, a bible that was Ellen Cridge’s, dated March 1872, with a note that says “she began to read music at 4 years of age (Helen Forbes (sp??), her daughter). A second book – Mr Fox, dated “Xmas 1875” for Maude Cridge, “From her Father and Mother”. A third book – Precept upon Precept, with only “Laundy” written inside from 1877. The last is a book called Cousin Annie (or Heart and Hand)….this one does not refer to the Cridge name specifically, but rather has a note in it that states “For My dear little Nellie with sincere love”, signed L.N.H April 26th 1876. Not sure if this is related but you may know. I needed to do some digging and this is the closest thing I could find to anything relevant the present time. Please email me if you have any info, or would like more info.
Thank you very much for this interesting account! My great-great grandmother, Mary Bastian, was a ward in the Cridges home, from 1856 until her marriage to Alexander Ross in 1868, at which Rev. Cridge officiated. Mary was only 6 when she left her family in Nisqually to live with the Cridges at Christ Church. She was with them through the loss of their children and the fire at the church. She became a laundry girl for Joseph Pemberton and the Carr family also. She met her husband, Alexander Ross, while they both were working for Mr. Pemberton.
The Bishop Cridge was the Ross family minister for more than 60 years, from the time of his arrival in Victoria until his death in 1913. He prayed and visited Isabella Ross, buried her son Alexander and daughter-in law Mary, baptized and buried some of her grandchildren, provided the wedding reception in his home for my great grandmother Flora Ross, and was my grandmother’s Godfather. He was a trusted family friend.