Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works correspondence inward
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- textual record
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- Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the series.
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Date(s)
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1859 (Creation)
- Creator
- British Columbia (Colony). Lands and Works Dept.
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6 cm of textual records
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Biographical history
The Lands and Works Dept. of the Colony of British Columbia was established in 1859 when Colonel Richard Clement Moody, commanding officer of the Royal Engineers, was sworn in as Chief Commissioner and Surveyor-General for the Colony of British Columbia. Prior to 1858, the territories of the new colony, known then as New Caledonia, were under grant to the Hudson’s Bay Company. Moody and the Royal Engineers were sent to the lower Fraser Valley by the Colonial Office in England to provide a military presence in the new colony, and also to survey land for settlement and to provide engineering expertise and manpower for the building of roads and bridges.
In 1863, the Colonial Office implemented constitutional changes to the Colony of British Columbia to encourage more settlement and a representative government. The contingent of Royal Engineers was disbanded and Chartres Brew, Chief Inspector of Police for the colony, was designated as Acting Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works until Joseph Trutch was appointed to the position of Surveyor-General in 1864.
From 1864 to 1871, the Surveyor-General was an elected official who also held the title of Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works and was a member of the Executive Council. Trutch continued the job Moody had started, with a personal emphasis on Crown lands and aboriginal claims. Trutch was the Surveyor-General when British Columbia joined confederation in 1871, at which time he was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the new province.
Most of the colonial officials remained in their positions, under his authority, until an election was held in November and a new government was sworn in. During this transitional period, first Peter O’Reilly and then Benjamin Pearse, served as Acting Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works and Surveyor-General.
After the election, 1871, Henry Holbrook was appointed the Acting Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works and Surveyor-General in the first ministry. A few months later, George A. B. Walkem took over as the first Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works and Surveyor-General in the new Dept. of Lands and Works.
Custodial history
Scope and content
This series contains the correspondence inward to the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, Colonel R.C. Moody. The records consists largely of letters from Governor James Douglas and the Colonial Secretary pertaining to town lots, other lands, trails and roads, and other public works in the vicinity of New Westminster. The series includes letters on the Harrison River road and pack trail.
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There are no access restrictions.
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Associated materials
The index for this correspondence is located in GR-0981 - Indexes to letters received
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General note
Accession number(s): 74A-008
General note
This series was previously described by the BC Archives with the creator British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works.
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number area
Standard number
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Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- British Columbia. Colonial Secretary (Subject)
- Douglas, James, Sir, 1803-1877 (Subject)
- Moody, Richard Clement, 1813-1887 (Subject)
- British Columbia (Colony). Governor (1858-1864 : Douglas) (Subject)
- British Columbia (Colony). Lands and Works Dept. (Subject)