Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
A.B. Sanderson and Company fonds
General material designation
- architectural drawing
- graphic material
- textual record
- technical drawing
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the fonds.
Level of description
Fonds
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
-
1955-1974 (Creation)
- Creator
- A.B. Sanderson and Company Ltd.
Physical description area
Physical description
7 m of textual records
ca. 1000 technical drawings
ca. 200 photographs
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
A.B. Sanderson and Company Ltd. was incorporated in 1955 by Adrian Barclay Sanderson, with A.L. Carruthers as an associate. Prior to starting his own firm, Sanderson had been for many years with the British Columbia Highway Department, where he served for a time as Assistant Bridge Engineer for the province. Carruthers was formerly Bridge Engineer, Chief Engineer, and Deputy Minister of the British Columbia Highway Department.
The company specialized in bridge building, working on major projects such as the Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge and the Alexandra Bridge. They were also involved in a number of Canadian National Railway projects, including work on the tunnels in Vancouver and Burnaby.
The company merged with Ker, Priestman and Associates in the early 1970s.
Custodial history
Transferred to the BC Archives in 1986 by George S. Prince on behalf of Ker, Priestman and Associates.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of records from A.B. Sanderson Company, Ltd., primarily regarding project proposals, construction calculations and plans for engineering projects. The fonds includes: correspondence, calculations, plans and drawings regarding engineering contracts; reference material for engineers; newspaper clippings and promotional material on the company; and personal records of Adrian Barclay Sanderson. The company’s focus was on bridges, and the records represent work on major projects such as the MacDonald-Cartier Bridge, the Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge, and a number of Pacific Great Eastern Railway bridges.
In addition to bridges, the A.B. Sanderson Company was involved in a number of significant projects including the Mount Kobau observatory. Additional projects include the Esquimalt Sports Centre and the Mt. Tolmie Reservoir, as well as a number of schools, sports arenas, water treatment facilities, and industrial buildings on Vancouver Island and British Columbia. The records include inspection reports for the Canadian National Railway tunnels that connected the CNR lines to the Second Narrows rail bridge.
A. B. Sanderson was named as technical advisor to the Royal Commission inquiry into the Second Narrows Bridge collapse, and the records in this fonds related to the Second Narrows Bridge are primarily newspaper clippings and reports.
Financial records for the company were not in the custody of Ker, Priestman and Associates at the time of transfer and do not make up part of this fonds.
Oversize plans relating to specific jobs can often be found in containers 880055-0522 – 880055-0529, usually identified by the corresponding file or job code. An index to job numbers can be found in container 880059-1582.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
There are no access restrictions.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
A file list is available: http://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Document/Finding_Aids_Atom/PR-2001_to_PR-2500/PR-2409.pdf
Associated materials
Accruals
General note
Accession number(s): 87-141; 91-4360; 90-022; M878045
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number area
Standard number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Pacific Great Eastern Railway Company (Subject)
- Canadian National Railways (Subject)