Richard Clement Moody

Richard Clement Moody (13 February 1813 – 31 March 1887) was a British colonial governor and Commander of the Royal Engineers. He was the founder and the first Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia; and the Commanding Executive Officer of Malta during the Crimean War; and the first British Governor of the Falkland Islands.

Moody founded the Colony of British Columbia, after he was selected to 'found a second England on the shores of the Pacific' by Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton: who desired to send to the nascent colony the 'representatives of the best of British culture' who had 'courtesy, high breeding, and urbane knowledge of the world'. The British Government deemed Moody to be the definitive 'English gentleman and British Officer'. Moody's original title was 'Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works for British Columbia', before he was redesignated first Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, as which he founded the capital of British Columbia, New Westminster, and he has been described as 'the real father of New Westminster'.

Moody also founded the Cariboo Road and Stanley Park, and named Burnaby Lake after his secretary Robert Burnaby and Port Coquitlam's 400-foot 'Mary Hill' after his wife, Mary Hawks. He also designed the first Coat of Arms of British Columbia. Port Moody, and Moody Park and Moody Square in New Westminster, are named after him.

He was also the first Governor of the Falkland Islands, and founded their capital Port Stanley. Moody Brook in the Falkland Islands, and Moody Point in Antarctica are named after him.

Moody was a polymath who excelled in engineering, architecture, and music. He planned the restoration of Edinburgh Castle using musical chords, for which he was summoned to Windsor Castle for commendation by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He has been described as 'a visionary in a plain land' and 'a man who could conceive of Edinburgh Castle in terms of a musical score'. Provided by Wikipedia