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Indigent Fund administration files

  • GR-0289
  • Series
  • 1914-1933 [predominant 192-]

The series consists of records created by the Deputy Provincial Secretary between 1914 and 1933 pertaining to the administration of funds for the "aid of the destitute, poor, and sick."

Between 1872 and 1942, an annual vote of funds was included in the estimates of the B.C. legislature. The fund, which was administered by the Office of the Provincial Secretary, originally contained $500. By 1935, this figure had risen to $110,000; but in the fund's final year of existence, 1943, the vote of funds had declined to $40,000.

The Indigent Fund, unlike the Mother's Pension, the Old Age Pension (1927), or the Veterans Assistance plans was not tied to an Act of Parliament, and thus relief was provided to people under a wide range of circumstances, and included many who failed to qualify for assistance under specific federal or provincial schemes. The fund was designed to meet the immediate and shortterm needs of rural B.C. residents (municipalities had their own funds) who through misfortune or bad planning had found themselves without "the necessities of life." The key to the fund, until the early 1930s, when the position of Superintendent of Welfare was created, was the Deputy Provincial Secretary, for it was often at his discretion that assistance was provided. He was aided in his duties by the various Government Agents, who were responsible for handling vouchers, disbursing cheques, and reporting to Victoria any new developments in individual cases. They, in turn, were assisted by Provincial Police constables who usually investigated each case and submitted a report.

The records consist of correspondence inward and outward from the Deputy Provincial Secretary's office; correspondence from Government Agents to the Deputy Provincial Secretary; Provincial Police reports on the condition of Indigents; correspondence from indigents or persons representing them to the Premier, Ministers, and the Deputy Provincial Secretary; and miscellaneous correspondence to and from various government departments and agencies such as Workman's Compensation Board, Department of Immigration, public hospitals, police departments etc.

The files are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the indigent. They are not, however, arranged alphabetically within each folder. There are two alphabetical series, as well as two sets of files titled "miscellaneous". All files have been preserved in their original order.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Proclamations

  • GR-0549
  • Series
  • 1858-1918

Proclamations and related records from the colony and province of British Columbia, 1858-1918.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Correspondence on the naming of British Columbia

  • GR-0003
  • Series
  • Typescript 1971 (originally created 1858)

The series consists of copies of correspondence between Queen Victoria and Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton on the naming of British Columbia, 24 June to 26 July 1858. The copy, made in 1971, was a gift of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, on the centenary of the province, 1871-1971.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Indian lands correspondence and other material

  • GR-0504
  • Series
  • 1861-1877

This series consists of correspondence, petitions, accounts, statements of population, and reports relating to land of Indigenous peoples in British Columbia from the Department of the Provincial Secretary.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Provincial Secretary's correspondence inward

  • GR-0526
  • Series
  • 1871-1892

This series consists of correspondence inward received by the Provincial Secretary, 1871-1892.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Education Branch correspondence.

  • GR-1709
  • Series
  • 1871-1889

This series includes a suggested draft for the 1872 Public Schools Act by Thomas Nicholson (1871), correspondence regarding the school at Burton's Prairie (1882) and correspondence regarding a request for an additional teacher at New Westminster High School (1889).

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Register of government service appointments

  • GR-0555
  • Series
  • 1871-1919

This series consists of registers and indexes of individuals appointed to positions in the government service, 1871-1919.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Correspondence and by-laws

  • GR-1707
  • Series
  • 1871-1886

This series contains correspondence and by-laws for Saltspring Island (1871-1882) and the Municipality of Surrey (1880-1886).

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Election records from Victoria

  • GR-1667
  • Series
  • 1871-1872

This series consists of poll-books, voters' lists, and correspondence relating to two landmark elections in British Columbia: the election of 1871 of representatives to the provincial legislature, and the election of 1872, called to elect provincial members to the Dominion House of Commons - respectively the first provincial election and the first federal election held in B.C. These records document B.C.'s last "open voting" elections (i.e. a secret ballot was not used). Compiled by A.F. Pemberton, Chief Returning Officer for Victoria, the records pertain to Victoria City, Victoria District, Esquimalt and Metchosin.

The election of 1871 was held in various parts of the province between October and December. It was conducted in accordance with the Colonial Election Regulation Act [34 Vic., No. 13, a statute which affirmed the practice of open voting (as opposed to the secret ballot). Thus, the poll books in this collection show the names of electors and the candidates for whom each elector voted. Voter's qualifications were determined by the colonial Qualification and Registration of Voters' Act [34 Vic., No. 156]. To qualify for the franchise, a voter had to be male, a loyal British subject, over twenty-one years of age, literate (at least able to write his name), and a resident in B.C. for no less than six months. In addition, qualified electors had to meet one of the following criteria: occupy premises with an annual rent of $40 or more; own freehold property having an assessed value of at least $250; have a pre-emption claim of 100 acres or more; possess a free-miners' license.

The Dominion election of 1872 was held under the authority of two federal statutes: the Interim Parliamentary Election Act of 1871 [34 Vic., c.20] and the Act to Re-adjust the Representation in the House of Commons, 1872 [35 Vic., c.13]. The first statute made provisions for holding a federal election in B.C.; the second confirmed the number of MPs to be elected from B.C. [6] and established federal electoral boundaries. 2 MPs were elected from the district of Victoria; 1 MP from the district of Vancouver (i.e. Vancouver Island north of Victoria and adjacent to the Gulf Islands); 1 MP for each of the districts of New Westminster, Yale, and Cariboo. Section 5 of the Interim Parliamentary Elections Act declared that the laws already in force in B.C. would apply to the election of 1872. Accordingly, polling for the province's first federal election was carried out under colonial legislation noted above. The Dominion election was also carried out in accordance with B.C.'s Corrupt Practices Prevention Act [34 Vic., No. 158], a colonial statute which stipulated that candidates had to declare all expenses incurred during their campaign. Hence the documents in Box 1, files 6 & 7 of this collection.

The records in GR-1667 relate solely to the Victoria electoral district. For elections to the provincial legislature, the riding included areas within the city's limits. Federally, however, the electoral district of Victoria embraced the City of Victoria and adjacent areas of Saanich (Victoria District), Esquimalt and Metchosin. A.F. Pemberton was the district's chief Returning Officer in both elections. In the provincial election -- held on 16 October 1871 -- Pemberton established the district polling station at the Police Barracks in Bastion Square. In the Dominion election -- held on 2 September 1872 -- he established six polling stations. The polls were open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Three candidates contested the two Victoria seats: Amor DeCosmos, Henry Nathan and Robert Beavan. DeCosmos, and Nathan were elected. The results of the election, and returns from each of the polling stations, were published in the Victoria Daily Colonist (3 Sep 1872).

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Register of Proclamations and other material

  • GR-0548
  • Series
  • 1872-1881

Register of Proclamations, Commissions, Letters Patent, Leases, and other documents issued under the Great Seal of the Province of British Columbia, 1872-1881.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

List of notaries

  • GR-0608
  • Series
  • 1872-1918

This series consists of three volumes: a List of notaries, 1872-1906; index of appointments of notaries public, 1881-1914; and register of notaries public, 1884-1918.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Correspondence index

  • GR-0644
  • Series
  • 1872-1875

This series consists of an index of correspondence from the Department of the Provincial Secretary, 1872-1875.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Letters inward from Gilbert Malcolm Sproat

  • GR-0695
  • Series
  • 1872

This series consists of letters inward from Gilbert M. Sproat, Agent General, London, England, received by the Provincial Secretary, 1872.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Indexes to Orders in Council

  • GR-1955
  • Series
  • 1872-1984

The series consists of volumes of indexes to Orders in Council (OIC) created between 1872 and 1984. The indexes relate to GR-0113 Orders in Council. The oversize volumes were maintained by the Provincial Secretary's office prior to the introduction of an automated indexing system in 1985 and digitization of the records, now available on the BC Laws website: http://www.bclaws.ca/. In most instances, OICs are indexed under the name of the statutes to which they relate. The series also includes ledgers recording documents issued under the Great Seal. The ledgers are arranged by Act name and list the relevant OIC as well as the name and address of the appointee mentioned in the OIC.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General

Miscellaneous records related to the British Columbia Coat of Arms

  • GR-3149
  • Series
  • Microfilmed 1965 (originally created 1872-1957)

The records include correspondence inward and outward of the Provincial Secretary related to the subject of design and registration of the British Columbia Coat of Arms. The correspondence is arranged chronologically and interfiled with the correspondence are reports, drawings of the crest and coat of arms, rubbings, and clippings. Some letters are typescript copies. Correspondents include: Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works; High Commissioner for Canada, Agent-General for British Columbia, Herald's College, Provincial Secretary, Deputy Provincial Secretary, Premier of British Columbia, Under Secretary of State and the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia. This appears to be a collection of records, taken from a number of different files, and gathered together because they relate to a single subject.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Provincial Secretary correspondence on diverse topics

  • GR-1668
  • Series
  • 1872-1934

The series consists of miscellaneous correspondence inward and outward on diverse topics. Most of these records pertain to the 1920s and early 1930s. Included are files dealing with the exclusion of Orientals (1921), the preservation of Craigflower schoolhouse and other historic sites, acquisitions (of paintings and photographs) by the Archives department, removal of Indian totem poles, petitions protesting the dismissal of Judge Helen Gregory MacGill (1929), and the Bedaux Sub-Arctic Expedition (1934). Early files include a memorandum on the benefits of establishing a Treasury Board for the provincial government (1872) and a letter of introduction for John Blair, landscape architect (1896).
Also included is a schedule referred to in order-in-council no. 911, confirmation of reserves, reductions of cut-off's and new reserves, Ditchburn-Clark Commission.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Riverview Hospital historical collection

  • Collection
  • 1872-2008

This series consists of a variety of records created by various provincial mental health institutions from 1872 to 2008. Records relate to the administration and operation of Riverview Hospital and related mental health facilities at the Essondale site in Coquitlam, as well as other facilities across the province. These mental health institutions include: Victoria Asylum, New Westminster Provincial Asylum (later Public Hospital for the Insane or Provincial Hospital for the Insane), Home for the Aged Coquitlam (later Valleyview), Home for the Aged Terrace (later Skeenaview), Home for the Aged Vernon (later Dellview), Crease Clinic, Colony Farm, Colquitz, Woodlands School, Tranquille and other medical facilities.

The names and administrative structure of these institutions changed over time. Mental health functions were originally part of the Provincial Secretary’s mandate; they were transferred to Mental Health Services when it was created in 1950.

These government records were collected by the Riverview Historical Society and include a wide variety of subject matter and media. This includes subjects such as: early development of the Essondale lands and Colony Farm; the construction and expansion of the facility; admissions, transfers, and discharges of patients; administration of patient care; administration of therapy programs; patient and staff recreation; staff and nurse training; operation of the audiovisual department; library services; research into new medical and therapeutic practices; research by staff regarding mental health practices at Riverview and further afield; community involvement; volunteer activity; policy development; the redevelopment of the Riverview lands; general administration; and, administration of other services at the site such as postal, food, laundry, banking, transportation and safety services.

The collection has been arranged into the following series based on record types:

GR-3924 - record books
GR-3925 - operational records
GR-3926 - newsletters
GR-3927 - photographs and other graphic material
GR-3928 - films and videos

Classified as 20000-20 in Operational Records Classification System (ORCS) schedule 144007.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Record of naturalization and other material

  • GR-0588
  • Series
  • 1872-1913

This series consists of 8 volumes of birth, marriage, death and naturalization records from the Department of the Provincial Secretary from 1872-1913 for various parts of the province. The volumes are:
Vol. 1 - Record of naturalization, Lillooet, B.C. (1913)
Vol. 2 - marriage register, Yale, B.C. (1911)
Vol. 3 - index to register of births, Hope, B.C. (n.d.)
Vol. 4 - index to register of marriages (1872-1886)
Vol. 5 - index to register of deaths (1872-1877)
Vol. 6 - marriage register, Cariboo district (1874-1905)
Vol. 7 - birth register (1913)
Vol. 8 - death register (1913)

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Regulations and circulars

  • GR-0551
  • Series
  • 1873-1908

This series consists of miscellaneous regulations and circulars emanating principally from the Provincial Secretary's office, 1873-1904, 1908.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Provincial Secretary letterbooks

  • GR-0540
  • Series
  • 1873-1918

This series consists of 104 volumes of letter book copies of correspondence outward from the Provincial Secretary, 1873-1918. The index to correspondence missing.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Provincial Secretrary miscellaneous correspondence inward

  • GR-1708
  • Series
  • 1873-1907

This series includes a report by R.E. Sproule on Kootenay mines (1882), a petition for bridge over Thompson River at Penny's Crossing (1884), a petition for a mining recorder at Kaslo (1894), correspondence regarding the return of Goose Spit, Comox, from the Admiralty (1906), and mss. voters' list for Skeena district (1907).

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Prescription books of the Marine Hospital

  • GR-0587
  • Series
  • 1874-1879

This series consists of two volumes of prescription books of the Marine Hospital, 1874-1879.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Schedules of returns of convictions

  • GR-1706
  • Series
  • 1874, 1896-1916

This series contains schedules of returns of convictions.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Oaths of office of government officials

  • GR-0610
  • Series
  • 1874-1923

This series consists of indexes, lists and oaths of office of Justices of the Peace, Stipendiary Magistrates, Police Magistrates, Police Constables, Commissioners, Coroners, and other government officials from 1874-1923.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Prison returns

  • GR-1493
  • Series
  • 1875

This series contains 1 page of prison returns for June 1875.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Provincial Secretary correspondence outward

  • GR-0614
  • Series
  • 1878-1882

The series consists of draft copies of the Provincial Secretary's outward correspondence between 1878 and 1882.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Copies of municipal assessment rolls

  • GR-0773
  • Series
  • 1881, 1884

The series consists of copies of municipal assessment rolls sent to the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary in 1881 and 1884. The 1881 file contains rolls from Chilliwack, Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Richmond and Surrey. The 1884 file contains rolls from Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, Richmond and Surrey.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Provincial Secretary register of letters inward

  • GR-1494
  • Series
  • 1881-1884

This series contains the Provincial Secretary's register of letters inward. The register appears to be a clerk's interim or 'working' copy.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

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