Showing 22 results

News item. In a four-part interview, archivist Ainslie Helmcken reviews events at Victoria City Hall in the 19th century. In part 3, Mr. Helmcken explains how the first councils were organized as the new city hall was being completed in the latter part of the 1880's.

News item. In a four-part interview, archivist Ainslie Helmcken reviews events at Victoria City Hall in the 19th century. In part 2, Mr. Helmcken describes how the sherrif was instructed to seize all assets of Victoria City Council for non-payment of a $700 legal bill.

News item. In a four-part interview, archivist Ainslie Helmcken reviews events at Victoria City Hall in the 19th century. In part 1, Mr. Helmcken describes the incorporation of the City of Victoria (1862) and the establishment of the first city council.

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).

SUMMARY: A civic election night special (probably from 1980 or 1982), featuring interviews with former aldermen Archie Wells, Waldo Skillings, and Lily Wilson; former alderman and mayor Percy George; and a taped interview with the late Percy Scurrah, former mayor.;

The file consists of three letters relating to municipal elections in the City of Victoria, written by City Clerk William Leigh. The first, 25 January 1872, is to the Registrar of the Supreme Court (Richard Woods) to notify him of the election of Richard Lewis as mayor; the second, 29 January 1872 (also to Woods) notifies him of the election of James D. Robinson as councilor for James Bay Ward; and the third, 29 January 1872, is to the Chief Justice regarding oaths of office for Lewis and Robinson.

The item is a typescript copy of an essay by Frederick Ellsworth Walden titled "The Social History of Victoria, British Columbia, 1858-1871." iv, 208 leaves: tables. Essay (B.A.), University of British Columbia, 1951. Bibliography: leaves 194-208.

The fonds consists of photographs and other records from 1908 to ca. 1995, created or collected by Jim Ryan in the course of his career as a photographer. There are approximately 105,738 photographs, mostly black and white and colour negatives, but also including prints, slides and glass slides. The fonds also includes textual records consisting of news stories, copies of Ryan's publications, a few letters and other such material. The majority of the photographs were taken in the Victoria area and include images of the harbour, the city, buildings, events and parks. There are many photographs of British Columbia politicians, notably W.A.C. Bennett, as well as distinguished visitors, federal and local politicians. There are also photographs of local characters, children and ordinary people. Although most of the photographs were taken in the Victoria area, there are occasional images taken in other areas of Vancouver Island as well as some of Ryan's travel photographs. Some of the earliest material relates to World War I and may be Ryan family photographs or items that Ryan collected out of interest.

The fonds also includes motion picture film material, including completed films, production elements, news stories shot for television, and selected reels of footage.

By-laws of the Corporation of the City of Victoria.

RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-?] SUMMARY: An interview with Percy B. Scurrah, who served as Victoria's mayor from 1955 to 1961.;

CALL NUMBER: T1365:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Public career : part 1 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974-10-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Narration of childhood experiences in London and family background. Immigration to Canada. Farm boy in Ontario. TRACK 2: Brick-laying and real estate speculations in Vancouver. Store business. Marriage and decision to move to Victoria. Attractions of Victoria. CALL NUMBER: T1365:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Public career : part 2 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974-10-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Getting established in Victoria. Activities in 2nd Depot Battalion during World War I. Setting up gramophone manufacturing. Starting music store. Raising a large family. Business adjustments, radio, gramophone repair. Terminating business in 1947. TRACK 2: Involvement in Quadra PTA. Educational concerns. Running for Victoria School Board 1926-1930. Difficulties getting elected and reasons for success. School board concerns during Depression. CALL NUMBER: T1365:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Public career : part 3 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974-10-15 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Discusses electoral success in 1930s. Involvement and activities with Victoria Junior Chamber of Commerce. Involvement in Reconstruction Party and Major Douglas's Social Credit. Political activities. Decision to run for alderman in 1940. Issues in 1940s. TRACK 2: Fiscal policy 1940s. Municipal politics 1940s. Policies as mayor. Post-war needs of Victoria. Changes due to war. Opinion of best qualities of a mayor. CALL NUMBER: T1365:0004 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Public career : part 4 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974-12-17 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Discussion of the role and duties of the Mayor of Victoria. Becomes president of Canadian Federation of Mayors. Runs as Coalition candidate in Esquimalt by-election 1951, discussion of results. Becomes chairman of Public Utilities Commission, description of responsibilities. Water supply issue. B.C. Electric. Bus fare issue. TRACK 2: Becomes commissioner on P.U.C. Government attitude to P.U.C. PNR issue of 1960. The public, and need for better communication of P.U.C. role. Career in retrospect. Philosophy. (End of interview)

RECORDED: [location unknown], [ca. 1965] SUMMARY: Comparison of political systems; Smith was involved in Victoria municipal politics; joining Social Credit in early 1950s; obsolescence of Socred monetary theory; role of the Social Credit League; discussion of W.A.C. Bennett; more on the Social Credit League; Social Credit conventions discussed; the role of government backbenchers; more about W.A.C. Bennett; discussion of the problems and priorities of the Social Credit government.;

"The Incorporation of Victoria" - an article submitted to the B.C. Historical Quarterly: one copy annotated by George Newell in 1968.

Correspondence and private business papers of Charles Todd (uncle of Mrs. A.J. Dallain), Indian Agent, Northwest Coast Agency, re property holdings at Kitimat and mining ventures, Skeena district; correspondence and private business papers of Mrs. C. Todd and the Dallain family in Victoria; master's certificate and minute book, Victoria Citizen's Committee on Improvements, Streets and Bridges, 1898, of A.J. Dallain; fragment of C.P.R. last spike. Photographs transferred to Visual Records accession 198106-8.

This series consists of the records of the Commission on the Conduct of the Affairs of the Municipal Council of Victoria. Records include report and minutes of proceedings and evidence (printed).

Public affairs. Jack Webster's popular weekday morning talk show. Guests and topics for this episode are: Steve Wyatt reports on the gala party to celebrate the decoration of Lion’s Gate Bridge and the patrons, the Guinness family. Politics of polarization are presented with a possible alternative—a unified group of small parties offering a middle of the road choice. Towards that end, Graham Lea, leader of the BC United Party; Peter Pollen, leader of the BC Conservatives; Art Lee, leader of the BC Liberal Party join Jack in the studio. Terry Segarty, Minister of Labour, live from Victoria on reforms of the Workers’ Compensation Board.

Public affairs. Jack Webster's popular weekday morning talk show. Guests and topics for this episode are: Show opens with a Lyell Island update, including some previously aired footage with Miles Richardson, President of the Council of the Haida Nation. James Dubro talks about his book, “Mob Rule: Inside the Canadian Mafia.” Peter Pollen, new leader of the BC Progressive Conservative Party, talks about the federal Progressive Conservative Party and Lyell Island and other issues.

Scrapbook of newspaper clippings, with a few invitation cards, drawings, photographs, pamphlets and letters.

Series consists of notes and correspondence pertaining to Skillings' career as insurance agent (1951-1971), Victoria City alderman (1947-1952), M.L.A. (1963-1972) and cabinet minister (1968-1972). includes newspaper clippings, certificates and personal memorabilia.

This series contains legal opinions offered by Attorney General on a wide range of subjects. For more information on the subjects covered, please consult the attached finding aid.