Robert Brown (1842-1895) was a naturalist who took part in several expeditions and in 1864 he was appointed Commander of the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition. The records consist of the journal and catalogue compiled while botanist for the British Columbia Botanical Expedition, 1863-66; journals kept as commander, Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition [VIEE], 1864-65; memoir on the geography of Vancouver Island, 1868; The land of the Hydahs, 1866; journals kept by A. Barnston, J. Buttle, T. Lewis, R. McDonald, J.Meade, F. Whymper during the VIEE in 1864 [vols. 1 and 2]; Vancouver Island Exploration Committee papers, including minute book, 1864-1865, correspondence, applications, bills and receipts, orders and reports issued by Brown; private correspondence, 1865-1895 [vol. 3]. Included in volumes 4 and 5 are transcripts of the VIEE journals, and some transcripts of Robert Brown's material. Two items were transferred to the BC Archives Library. A copy of volume 1, file 7 is catalogued as NWp 580 B862c ( previously NWp 581.9711 E96). A portion of the Catalogue of animals, plants, seeds, minerals collected by Robert Brown (from volume. 1, file 11), published in The Farmer, May 16, 1866 is catalogued as NWp 580 B862c. Both items were filmed by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions (CIHM no. 16844 and no. 16588 respectively). The originals could not be located as of October and August 2010. The Robert Brown records were microfilmed by the BC Archives in 1986. At that time, volume 1, files 7 and 9 were noted as missing.

The fonds consists of correspondence and reports written by and about Robert William Torrens between 1858 and 1865. In 1859 and 1865, Torrens took part in several different expeditions that took him to Haida Gwaii, along the Nass River, through the area of Clayoquot Sound, and to Bear River. During these trips, he interacted with many local Indigenous populations, and wrote about these encounters in his reports. The fonds also includes several letters of recommendation for Torrens and his 1865 oath of office for the position of stipendiary magistrate for the colony of Vancouver Island.

This series consists of 125 pages of typescript copies of correspondence. The pages are numbered 98-223, and the location of pages 1-97 is unknown. The originals were created between 1858 and 1861. The correspondence is between various members of the British Admiralty, or between the Admiralty and government officials from the colony of Vancouver Island.

The correspondence relates to topics such as: the construction of the Esquimalt navy base, powder magazine and lighthouses on Southern Vancouver Island; the deployment of Royal Marines, Royal Engineers, ships and gun boats to and around Vancouver Island; fights between various First Nations groups and conflicts between Indigenous Peoples and settlers at Victoria, Nanaimo, Fort Rupert [Port Hardy] and Haida Gwaii.

Correspondence, notebooks, subject files, accounts, annotated books, etc., of C.F. Newcombe and his son W.A. Newcombe, reflecting their interest in the ethnology, natural history and history of British Columbia. Newcombe family papers. The G.T. Emmons collection, consisting of correspondence, notes and manuscripts, mainly on the Tlingit Indians. Maynard family papers, consisting of diaries and papers of Richard and Hannah Maynard, Victoria photographers, and their son Albert. Papers of Emily Carr, and re her estate, of which W.A. Newcombe was an executor.

Volumes 21 to 30 were arranged by the BC Archives in 1975.

Volumes 31 to 59 were arranged by the Royal BC Museum, ca. 1970. BC Archives volume and file numbers have been added to the these volumes.

Volumes 239/240 were Found In Collection in the Archives in 2022 and added to the collection.

• An asterisk beside a file number indicates that the file contains letters to or from both C.F. Newcombe and W.A. Newcombe.

Table of Contents: Box/file

Table of Contents: Microfilm reels

Detailed box and file list

The file consists of reports written by James Deans and sent to Israel Wood Powell regarding resources, Indigenous villages and practices in Haida Gwaii.

Correspondence, 1901-1934; drafts of articles relating to British Columbia Indians, the Victoria Fire Department, and early British Columbia history, undated; poetry; newspaper stories re Victoria Fire Department and fire fighting in British Columbia generally; typescript of an address by W.H. Keary re New Westminster history, 1926; tickets, invitations and ephemera to firemen's balls, fairs, Douglas Day, 1927, etc. Includes letters written as Indian Agent, Queen Charlotte Agency, 1910-1924 and correspondence re the collecting of Indian art.

The series consists of operational records of the Department of Anthropology at the British Columbia Provincial Museum and it's predecessor, the Provincial Museum of Natural History and Anthropology. The records are often referred to as the Wilson Duff Papers, as a significant portion of the series consists of original research notes made by Duff, curator of Anthropology at the museum from 1980-1965, in the course of his work with Indigenous communities in British Columbia. Some field notes of other museum anthropologists are also included, as well as correspondence, subject files, and records relating to totem poles in British Columbia.

Staff of the Department of Anthropology conducted research work documenting the history, culture, and languages of Indigenous communities in British Columbia. Records include field notes, maps, transcripts of interviews, correspondence, subject files, and copies of published and unpublished works.

The series has been arranged into the following five sub-series:

A: Wilson Duff research notes
B: Administrative records and correspondence
C: Totem poles 1950-1975
D: Subject files 1945-1968
E: Ethnology field notes