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The fonds consists of the diaries, correspondence, notebooks, survey field books, accounts, business and personal papers, photographs, watercolours, maps, and ephemera created by members of the O'Reilly family between 1830 and 1992. These records reflect the family's role as part of the inner circle of administrators during the colonial period and as part of Victoria's upper middle class, until the death of Peter O'Reilly in 1905. They also document the everyday activities and events in the life of the family. These records were previously catalogued at the item level in the Old Catalogue, primarily using classification A/E/OR3, and as MS-0412 O'Reilly family, MS-0248 O'Reilly family and MS-2086 Caroline O'Reilly. In 2001 the records were rearranged into a single fonds in preparation for a microfilming project. Records which belonged to the Trutch family (MS-2897), Edgar Dewdney (MS-2898), Weir family (MS-2896) and the William Curtis Ward (MS-2899) were removed from these collections and described separately.

Letters, 1901-1949, from family and friends, including letters from her parents, Senator and Mrs. Hewitt Bostock, written from Monte Creek, Ottawa and Europe, and from classmates serving in World War I; personal papers, testimonials, papers re Bostock ranch; papers relating to her interests in humanism, education and mental health, including minutes and correspondence of the Victoria Humanist Fellowship, ca. 1957-1969; various humanist publications.

Photos and albums transferred to Visual Records accession 197901-90; plans of the Sherman house, by architect P. Leonard James, transferred to the map collection, map registration number 12909A.

Presented by Mrs. J.D. Lindsay (step daughter), Armstrong, 1976.

The series consists of (Volume 1) tickets for passage from Hong Kong to Victoria in 1865 via the barque "Maria", receipts, account books, medicine books; and (Volume 2) letters written by a son in China to his father in B.C. in the 1870s relating to crops, family news, and information regarding the investment of remittances (Volume 2).

Records include material pertaining to three prominent Victoria families: the W.E. Olivers, the W.C. Wards, and the E.P. Gillespies The bulk of the textual records were produced by W.E. Oliver and are related to his career at the University of Edinburgh and his real estate investments on Vancouver Island, including the Cowichan Lake Hotel. W.E. Oliver's papers contain material regarding his friend Warburton Pike, author and adventurer. Oliver handled Pike's estate when he died. Also included is the correspondence of Oliver's future son-in-law, Erroll P. Gillespie, a soldier serving in World War I. His letters provide a good picture of a Canadian soldier's life in training camp and on active service in Europe. There are also letters from his brothers, Sholto and Ronald, from the trenches, hospitals and prisoner of war camps of World War I. The collection also includes Nina Woolliams' research notes on the Douglas Lake Ranch, which was owned by W.E. Oliver's father-in-law, W.C. Ward.

William Edgar Oliver immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1895. He had been at Edinburgh University, 1883-1890, and studied for the Scottish bar. His university papers provide information about his education and numerous extracurricular activities. He wrote stories and articles on politics for a local newspaper while he was in university and was active in many societies. When he arrived in Victoria in 1895 he entered into a law partnership with Gordon Hunter and Lyman Poore Duff. In 1896 he married Mary Eleanor Ward, daughter of the manager of the Bank of British Columbia, William C. Ward. They had one daughter, Beatrice Lydia Catharine Oliver (known as Catherine). She handled Oliver's business affairs after his death. Catherine married Erroll Pilkington Gillespie in 1921.

W.E. Oliver was active in local government. He was the first Reeve of the Municipality of Oak Bay for the years 1906-1908 and made an unsuccessful bid to be mayor of Victoria in 1911. He continued to serve in municipal affairs as Reeve in 1912, 1914 and 1915. Oliver had a wide range of investments, including real estate in the city of Victoria and surrounding municipalities and shares in a variety of companies. He also owned land in the Lake Cowichan area. He was part of the syndicate that developed Golf Links Park subdivision on Newport Avenue in Oak Bay and was involved in developing other subdivisions as well. His real estate and other investments are well documented through indentures, conveyances, financing, mortgages, balance sheets, share certificates, and other relevant papers.

The series consists of large format photographic prints known as "Parliamentary portraits", taken between 1991 and 2022. The portraits are generally taken once per Parliament and show the members of the Legislative Assembly in the Legislative Chamber, at the Parliament Buildings in Victoria, B.C. Dates and Parliamentary sessions are noted and some photographs are accompanied by legends, naming each person in the photograph. Each photograph is taken from the entrance to the chamber and typically shows the Premier, the Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker and other members of the Speaker's and Clerk's office in the centre by the Speaker's chair. The MLA's are at their desks, the government members traditionally sit on the Speaker's right and the opposition on the Speaker's left.
The photographs are as follows:
1 col. photograph from session 34-5, 1991
1 col. photograph from session 35-2, ca. 1995
1 col. photograph from session 36-3, July 22, 1998
1 col. photograph from session 36-4, ca. 2000
1 col. photograph + legend from session 37-2, May 8, 2002
1 col. photograph + legend from session 38-1, November 2, 2005
1 col. photograph + legend from session 39-1, 2009
1 col. photograph from session 39-4, 2012
1 b&w photograph + legend from session 40-3, November 19, 2014
1 col. photograph + legend from session 41-40, 2017
1 b&w photograph + legend from session 42-3, October 3, 2022.

Lists of plants purchased from Cmyru Alpine Nurseries and of shrubs purchased from Layritz nurseries; account of expenses incurred in constructing rock garden, drive and terrace.

Transferred from the Library and Map Section, 1983.

Passports of Mrs. Annie Clearihue (1913) and manuscript for a speech by Joseph Badenoch Clearihue on the subject of the Oak Bay United Church (1973).

Pemberton family items owned by Mab Aherne Pemberton Harvey, niece of Sophie Pemberton. Collection includes (1) Miller, J.R. "Dr. Miller's Year Book" (New York: Thomas Crowell and Company, 1895) a book of daily scripture readings inscribed "Sophie T. Pemberton December 13, 1904, with annotations by Sophie Pemberton ca. 1906-1914 as well as notes referring to family events dating to 1871. (2) Pemberton, Joseph D., Dairy (1885) which contains references to business and family affairs. (3) [Pemberton, J.D.] register of conveyance of land to private individuals and churches in the Anglican Diocese of Columbia (Alberni, Comox, Cowichan, Esquimalt, Nanaimo and Victoria, 1858-1866).

Diary kept by Ada (Pemberton) Beaven in 1897, recording her life in Victoria, trip to England in April and life in England and Europe during the remainder of the year. Letters to Ada from her sister Sophia describing her life and travels in England and Europe as well as family matters and finances. Letters (3) from her brother Willie, 1895 and undated, written from London and Cambridge; letter from Katherine Emily (Beaven), Viscountess Churchill to Hugo Beaven (n.d.), re. finances. Pictures transferred to Visual Records, accession 198906-2.

Series consists of a pence book, postage account, and treasurer's report, Victoria Alliance, 1886-1888; minutes and newspaper notices of meetings, Blue Ribbon Temperance Society, 1888-1890.

Correspondence inward and outward, legal correspondence, receipts and accounts, invitations; correspondence of the family of James Henry White (1855-1948) of New Westminster; correspondence inward to Edward Woodman White (1887-1962) from Violet (Latham) White. Peter Secord Lampman was born on 23 June 1867 in Stamford, Ontario. He completed high school in Thorold, Ontario and attended Trinity College and Osgoode Hall in Toronto. Between 1888-1892, he read law with firms in St. Catherines, Hamilton and Toronto. Called to the Ontario Bar in 1892, he came to British Columbia and was called to the Bar in 1893. For two years he practiced law with George Powell in Victoria. In 1895, he left the practice to become Secretary of the British Columbia Law Society, a position he filled until 1905, when he was appointed judge in the County Court in Victoria. He remained on the bench of the County Court until 1936, when he retired. He was active in the North Pacific Tennis Association and the Senior's North West Golf Association. On September 26, 1901, Peter Lampman married Cecelia Maud Prior, daughter of Colonel E.G. Prior. They had one son, Thomas E. Lampman. Peter Lampman died on November 20, 1940. The records consist of 12 boxes of correspondence, receipts, accounts and invitations. One file contains papers related to the estate of E.G. Prior. Boxes 9-12 contain correspondence and papers relating to the family of Rev. James Henry White of New Westminster, in particular correspondence of James' son Edward W. White and Violet (Latham) White. Source: MS Finding Aids Finding aid: file list.

Series includes a Victoria City official Census, 1891: returns of census taken as a result of the city's belief that the federal census had placed Victoria's population at too low a figure. Census lists heads of households and single people alphabetically with either address or occupation, number of members of household and numbers who were either Indian or Chinese. Residents of Protestant Orphans' Home St. Ann's School and St. Joseph's Hospital, Indians, and crews of barques Callao and Serica are listed separately at back of volume.

The series consists of a photograph album created around 1875, possibly as a presentation album for Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie, containing 77 black and white photographs taken by Charles Horetzky between 1871 and 1875.

The photographs were taken during the Canadian Pacific Railway Survey and include images of the Homathko River area, Jasper House, North Saskatchewan, Peace River, Gardner Canal, Dean Canal, Bella Bella, Lake Huron and Mississaugua River. Many photographs are numbered and all have a caption.

The series is a photograph album created or acquired by Herbert Carmichael, sometime between 1897 and the early 1900s. It contains photographs of Victoria and area, particularly photos of Beacon Hill Park, Victoria Harbour and sailboats. There are also Vancouver Island photographs, including images of the Cowichan and Alberni areas and images taken on the mainland including Kootenays and coastal areas. There are a few photographs taken in Northern Island, Sault Ste. Marie and England. Most of the photographs have either stamped or penciled captions.

The series consists of photographs which document the activities of the James Bay Athletic Association (JBAA). Included in this series are photographs of various athletic teams, sporting events, and of the JBAA hall and facilities. Many of the individual photographs contain additional information on the verso, including the names of the athletes in the photographs, specific dates or match information, and the name of the photographer. This information is not provided on all photographs.

Series consists of 21 graphic items (prints, negatives, and glass plate negatives) pertaining to the Helmcken family. The photographs depict buildings and events in the Victoria area, as well as one portrait photograph of J.S. Helmcken seated on a chair. In 2021, one picture of a house in Scotland that was home to the Helmcken boys was Found in Collection and added to this accession.
J-01853 and J-08154 were found in collection in 2024 and added to this series.

The series consists of a photograph album created in 1875, possibly as a presentation album for Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie, containing 54 black and white photographs taken by Charles Horetzky. The images were taken during the Canadian Pacific Railway Survey and are mostly of the Homathko River area. Each photograph is numbered and has a caption.

Plaint and procedure books. Volume 1 contains a guide for several court orders.

Series consists of include lists of vessels leaving the port of Victoria and Burrard Inlet, circa 1859-1874 and an account book, 1868: vessels entering the Port of Victoria, June 1859 - October 1861, November 1863 - November 1865; vessels cleared at the Port of Victoria, October 1861 - April 1887, December 1869 - July 1874 (includes entries for Burrard Inlet, July to September, year not given and Nanaimo, June - October 1872); unidentified account book, January - June 1868.

Presentments of the Grand Jury, April 1900 - Oct 1931.

The series consists of original probated wills from the Victoria court registry. The wills appear to have been deliberately removed from the original probate file and refiled in a second accession. Records in this series are arranged by probate number, an index to which is found in GR-3016. After the wills were removed from the original probate file, they were replaced with a photocopy.

For wills predating 1986, see GR-1052, GR-1574, and GR-2009, with an index in GR-1417.

The series consists of oral history interviews recorded by staff members and research associates of the Provincial Archives of B.C. Major subject areas include: political history (especially the Coalition era, the W.A.C. Bennett years, and David Barrett's NDP government); ethnic groups (including Chinese- and Japanese-Canadans); frontier and pioneer life; the forest industry; B.C. art and artists; the history of photography, filmmaking and radio broadcasting in the province; and the history of Victoria High School.

The interviewers include: Kathryn Bridge, Janet Cauthers, David Day, Patrick Dunae, Terry Eastwood, Merna Forster, Eric Gee, Frances Gundry, Maya Koizumi, W.J. Langlois, Charles Lillard, Theresa Low, Indiana Matters, David Mattison, Patriick May, David Mitchell, Constantine Nikitiuk, Andrew Petter, Derek Reimer, Allen W. Specht, Loree Stewart, and Reuben Ware.

The series consists of correspondence inward (with responses) to the director, assistant director, curators, and other personnel of the Provincial Museum. The correspondence is with collectors, amateur and professional naturalists, museum officials, and federal and provincial government departments and agencies and was created between 1897 and 1970.

The files include correspondence with the museum's first three directors (called "Curators" prior to 1913): John Fannin (1886-1904), Francis Kermode (1904-1940), and G. Clifford Carl (1940-1969). However, very little of the correspondence generated during Fannin's tenure has survived, while most of the Kermode files date from the post-1918 period.

The series also includes index cards created between 1925 and 1937 which records index details about letters in A-Z, and letters out, A-R.

The series consists of letters inward re service with British Columbia Provincial Police, including notices of appointment and transfers, 1932-1947; police forms, including letterhead and blank Christmas cards; police records collected by MacAlpine, including information and warrants, Port Essington, 1909-1913 and prisoners' effects and description book, Bella Coola, 1914-1934; clippings re BCPP, mainly 1950; National Parks licence, Banff, 1922; published material including programmes for Christmas celebrations, Victoria, 1928, Victoria Day celebrations, Victoria, 1946, visit of Princess Alexandra, 1967, revised rules of the road, 1922; Gaol rules, 1940, BCPP regulations, 1945 and 1947, Criminal law in twelve lessons. Photographs transferred to Visual Records accession 198207-18.

The series consists of records created by the British Columbia Provincial Police between 1877 and 1925. The records relate to the Victoria district and include the following: Police and gaol diary, 1877; Provincial Police record books, Jan. 1894 to Nov. 1898; office diaries, 1911 to 1914 and 1921 to 1924; report book, 1916 to 1925; files relating to informations, warrants and depositions, 1893 to 1909; and deposition case files from 1919 to 1923 and 1925.

The series also includes correspondence files from Otway Wilkie, Senior Police Constable, Victoria, dated 1922-1923. This position is also referred to as the Officer commanding “A” Division. “A” Division of the BC Provincial Police Force included subdivisions for the Victoria and Vancouver regions, but had its headquarters in Victoria. The Senior Constable may have been located in the same office as the Police Superintendent, which was responsible for the entire province. Many records are to or from the Superintendent or include stamps from the Office of the Superintendent. These records include circulars, correspondence, game reports, coroner inquisition records, reports on various crimes. Correspondence may be with other police officials or from public reporting or providing information on crimes.

There is also a scrapbook of newspaper clippings from the Vancouver Daily Province from 1927-1928 created by the Victoria Criminal Identification Department. The clippings relate to a variety of crimes reported in the paper. They are arranged by date and indexed by name of the individuals in the paper. The scrapbook was likely used as a reference for tracking repeat offenders.

The series consists of records created by the Superintendent of Provincial Police between 1917 and 1929. The records relate to the Victoria district and "A" division and contain files relating to various acts including the Sheep Protection Act and the Poll Tax Act from 1917 to 1921; vouchers and correspondence re vouchers from 1917 to 1925; and vouchers and miscellaneous letters from 1928 to 1929.

The series consists of ten reports sent to Frederick Hussey in 1905 and 1911, in his capacity as Superintendent of Provincial Police and Inspector of Gaols. The wardens at each of the Provincial Gaols at Victoria, New Westminster, Nanaimo, Nelson and Kamloops returned an annual summary of the activity of the gaol with attached monthly reports and annual returns of the prisoners received. The reports include: lists of staff and salaries; financial expenditures, prisoner work statistics and number of prisoners in custody including the name, age, country of origin, profession, crime, sentence and conduct of each.

Correspondence replying to the invitation of the Premier and Executive Council to dine with the Captain and officers of H.M.S. "New Zealand."

The series consists of general correspondence files created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1910 and 1970.
The files are concerned primarily with Provincial Government buildings including the Parliament Buildings, Provincial Archives, Provincial Museum, as well as jails, courthouses, hospitals, office buildings, etc. throughout the province. The series also contains files relating to the control of Japanese nationals during World War II.