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Gerald Smedley Andrews fonds

  • PR-1059
  • Fonds
  • [187?] - 2006; 2013

The fonds consists of records generated by Gerald Smedley Andrews in Victoria and other parts of British Columbia and Canada, and overseas, in pursuit of his personal, wartime, professional and volunteer activities from about 1903 to 2005.

These activities include those of teacher; lecturer; researcher; author; historian; geographer; traveler; artist; photographer; genealogist; linguist; surveyor; engineer; forester; expert in aerial survey photography, mapping and photogrammetry and member of numerous amateur and professional associations and organizations.

The fonds consists predominantly of personal records but also includes records from Andrews' positions with the British Columbia government, including Chief Engineer of the Air Surveys Division, and Surveyor General and Director of the Surveys and Mapping Branch. The records cover a wide range of subjects but particularly relate to surveying (including aerial survey photography, mapping and photogrammetry) and surveyors, and the history and geography of British Columbia. The fonds include correspondence, research notes, lists, publications, newspaper articles and clippings, over 14,000 photographs, financial records, legal documents, tax assessments, membership cards, membership directories, nominal rolls, newsletters, minutes, financial reports, by-laws, annual reports, texts of speeches, questionnaires, memoranda, a patent application, invitations, resumes, graphs, diagrams, calculations, manuals, technical information, programmes, essays, manuscript drafts, grant applications, job applications, orders of service, texts of speeches, essays, drawings and other artwork.

The fonds also includes three videotaped cable television interviews with Andrews (1982-1985). a home video interview with Andrews and over 300 maps and plans.

Andrews, Gerald Smedley

Surveys and Mapping Branch director's files

  • GR-1544
  • Series
  • 1941-1976, 1982

The series consists of Director's files created by the Surveys and Mapping Branch between 1949 and 1976. The files are a mixture of operational and administrative files and include correspondence, memos, maps and some photographs. They are arranged by the file code system created by G.S. Andrews, director from 1951 to 1968. A list of the file codes and headings is in the first file, 0581/1.1.

The files cover all aspects of land surveys and mapping including the organization and administration of the branch, policy, associations with professional bodies, correspondence with the Federal Government, equipment and supplies and historical files created under directors G.S. Andrews (1951-1968), A.H. Ralfs (1968-1975) and E.R. McMinn (1876-1982). The series also includes one unnumbered file dated 1982 about the Alberta mapping branch.

Although there are many maps interfiled within the regular files, the last box contains only copies of published maps accumulated by Andrews between 1941 and 1972, although some of the maps are copied from earlier ones. This box was reaccessioned as M856122 and transferred to the Archives Map division in 1985 but has been reunited with the series.

British Columbia. Surveys and Mapping Branch

New Westminster Land Commissioner record books

  • GR-4122
  • Series
  • 1859-1980

This series consists of a variety of bound volumes related to the administration, management and alienation of land in the New Westminster land district from 1858-1980. The records were primarily created by the provincial Government Agent and the Dominion Land Agent stationed in New Westminster. The records have been arranged into the following subseries:

  1. Indexes and maps.

The indexes cover many of the homestead files in GR-4121, by file number and alphabetically by name of the homesteader or licensee. There are two volumes of reference maps for various municipalities, sub-divisions, right-of-ways and townships.

  1. BC government land registers : district lot system

Variations of this system of surveying land were used from 1859 onwards. All of these volumes appear to have been created and maintained by the BC government. The registers list the lots in numerical order and record the alienation of land from the Crown by purchase, pre-emption, lease, mineral claims, timber use, etc. Information may include the name of the purchaser, dates and numbers of certificates issued (including Crown Grants), dates and amounts of payments, and reference numbers to correspondence files and field books. There is an alphabetical name index in most volumes. The registers cover range 1 Coast District, range 4 Coast District, Yale Division Yale District (YDYD) country lands, Texada Island District, Point Grey townsite, Powell River townsite, Hastings townsite, and New Westminster District group 1, group 2 and 3 group 3.

  1. BC government land registers : township system

Variations of this survey system were used from 1873 to approximately 1912. All of these volumes appear to have been created and maintained by the BC government. The land entered in the majority of the volumes was surveyed and made available for settlement in 1873 and 1874. The registers list land in numerical order by Sections within Townships and record the alienation of land from the Crown by purchase, pre-emption, lease, etc. Information may include the name of the purchaser, dates and numbers of certificates issued (including Crown Grants), dates and amounts of payments, and reference numbers to correspondence files and field books. There is an alphabetical name index in most volumes. The registers cover New Westminster District townships 1 to 50 with some townships missing.

  1. Dominion government : general land registers

These volumes were likely created by the Dominion Land Agent. It appears that at least some records were copied from provincial records to determine what land had been alienated before the transfer of the Railway Belt and what Crown land still needed to be managed by the dominion government. The registers, arranged by legal description, indicate the nature of the grant, the number, date of entry, file number, patent approval date, and name of grantee. The registers cover various townships in the New Westminster District and various lots throughout the Hope district, Yale district, Kamloops district, town of Hope, town of Yale, and Boston Bar.

  1. Lease registers

These volumes were created in the New Westminster government agent's office. They record leases for a variety of purposes including: quarry, campsite, booming ground, agriculture, foreshore, forestry, and grazing. Many volumes are indexed and may include file numbers linking to GR-4121.

  1. Pre-emption records

These records were created by the BC government. Pre-emption was a system of obtaining title to unsurveyed land (similar to the Dominion "homesteading" system) which occurred until 1970. Individuals could purchase land which had not been fully surveyed. However, grants to these lands were not issued until the applicant had made specified improvements, passed inspections, satisfied residency requirements, and had the lands fully surveyed. Records include certificates of improvement for the Vancouver Divisions of the New Westminster District and Coast District; certificates of pre-emption for the New Westminster District and Vancouver Division; and registers of pre-emption records.

  1. Land purchase records

These records were created by the BC government. Once land was surveyed, it could be purchased outright instead of being pre-empted. These records include certificates of purchase for the New Westminster District.

  1. Mining records

The majority of these records were created by BC Government Agents, Gold Commissioners or Mining Recorders. Records include mineral claim minute books, records of conveyances, bills of sale, applications for mineral lands and petroleum and natural gas leases, and coal applications. Records are from the New Westminster District, Hope and Yale. Most volumes include an alphabetical index and some may include references to file numbers in GR-4121.

  1. Range and timber records

These records were created by the dominion and BC governments. Records include range leases, grazing leases and information on timber berths.

  1. Water licence applications

These records are water licence applications created by the BC government.

  1. Cancellation records

Cancellation registers created by the BC and Dominion governments. Some volumes include alphabetical indexes and have file numbers related to GR-4121.

  1. Financial records

Various financial records created by the Dominion government and BC Government Agents. Records include Dominion crown timber financial statements; form J (cash books) created by Government Agents documenting their expenses and fee collection, such as the sale of marriage licences; and a land revenue return of payments from the central Victoria land office.

  1. Other land administration records

Includes dominion created applications for patents and homestead inspectors instructions, as well as BC Government Agent books recording lands resumed under Soldier’s Homestead Act, Crown granted mineral claims which have reverted to the Crown for non-payment of taxes, and surveyed lands open for use.

British Columbia. Government Agent (New Westminster)

Photo-topographical survey records

  • GR-3750
  • Series
  • [ca. 1920-1979]

The series consists of a variety of record types, including: topographical maps; index books listing names and data concerning survey stations around B.C.; microfiche with data regarding survey stations in B.C.; library materials on topographical matters and related subjects; and photographs in the form of negative film rolls.

The photo-topographical survey method of mapping was described by R.E. McCaw, B.C.L.S. as follows: "In the mountainous areas of Western Canada, the photo-topographical method for obtaining a topographical map has been used for many years. A triangulation of a fair degree of accuracy is necessary for a base. Rounds of photographs, by specially designed survey camera are taken from the triangulation stations, and many other independent stations which are all connected into a net work of control which may be plotted to scale. It is essential to have all portions of the landscape photographed from two or more different points, which are usually on the summits of mountains or high ridges. The camera is always set in a carefully levelled position. In the office, enlargements from the photographic negatives are made. The directions of these are plotted and points identified from views from adjacent stations overlooking the same area. Using the principles of descriptive geometry and perspective, these points are plotted and the elevations computed. It is always the endeavour to choose the points in such a way they they will outline streams, lakes, ridges, etc. Rivers, creeks, lakes, roads, etc., are then drawn in using the photographs as a guide. The slope is then shown by contours, the accuracy of all depending upon the accurate instrumental work in the field and the number of identified points used in the office."

Descriptive accounts of the survey work in the field is given by surveyors in many of the the departmental annual reports.

The maps in the series GR-3750 were meant by their creator to be used together with photographic prints and negatives which are held by BC Archives in other series; in particular, including: GR-3478 - Photo-topographical images; GR-3427 - Surveys Branch photo-topographical negatives; and GR-3428 - Topographic Division photo-topographical negatives.

Annotations on the maps link to the images, showing survey control stations, the dates a survey was conducted at that station, the surveyor that headed the survey (indicated by either first letters of their full name or by first letter of their last name; and an identifying number of the photograph taken from that station, with an arrow indicating the view (the direction) in which the photograph was taken.

For example, see sheets 93A, Spanish Lake, Swift River and Cariboo Lake; the legend, including annotation to the legend indicates the following, that a “Camera station” is represented by a round circle around a dot, a Triangulation station is represented by a triangle around a dot. A station will have a larger circular annotation with the following as example in the circle:

S = initial of last name of surveyor
1933 = year survey conducted
25 = envelope number (location of stored photographic print)

This indicates that at this station a survey was conducted by Stewart in 1933, and photo prints are located in envelope number 25 of the envelopes of prints in Series GR-3478 - Photo-topographical images. For example: Map 92 I/ SE, Merritt, includes annotations on the map for Iron Mountain region south of the town of Merritt (there are three camera stations at Iron Mountain). The map includes the annotations 24/41, 24/42 and 24/43. These indicate photo prints from the 1924 survey are located in envelopes 41, 42 and 43.

The series is arranged in 12 files; each file is equal to one container. In some cases a container consists of one bound volume. Files one, two and three consist of maps in large, hardcover bound volumes.

File 1 (container 932492-0001) consists of a large, green hardcover binder (61 x 76 x 3 cm) containing 131 maps. Most but not all of the maps are labelled “National Topographic Series.” Items (maps) are arranged in the binder in numerical order according to their NTS number (e.g. 82, 92, 93, 102, 103, 104, etc.). The finding aid for the series (see link below) itemizes each map in this binder.

File 2 (container 932492-0002) consists of 59 topographic maps annotated with survey networks showing triangulation, ca. 1940-1965. The maps, some of which are labelled as pre-emptor’s maps, show triangulation from survey stations, with names of stations. Many are dated as 1942-1945 as the last dates of surveys. The finding aid for the series (see link below) itemizes each map in this binder.

File 3 (container 932492-0003) consists of 41 topographic maps annotated with survey control stations, ca. 1945-1955. The finding aid for the series (see link below) itemizes each map in this binder.

File 4 (container 932492-0004) consists of an index book of survey control stations, ca. 1935-1979. The table format lists data in the following fields: station, district, source, elevation, latitude, longitude, datum, ties to land surveys, and remarks. The primary organization of the index book is in numerical order according to the location (latitude and longitude) of each station. For example, data for stations located at 48-114 is followed by stations at 48-115. These may be broken out into multiple sheets for the same location. The book ranges from a start at 48-113 N.W. and ends at 52-132 N.E.

File 5 (container 932492-0005) consists of an index book of survey control stations, ca. 1940-1979. The table format lists data in the following fields: station, district, source, elevation, latitude, longitude, datum, ties to land surveys, and remarks. The primary organization of the index book is in numerical order according to the latitude and longitude location of each stations. For example, data for stations located at 48-114 is followed by stations at 48-115. These may be broken out into multiple sheets for the same location. The book ranges from a start at 53-118 S.W. to 61-132 S.E.

File 6 (container 932492-0006) consists of 64 forest maps, Interim Forest Cover Series, Canada sheet maps, ca. 1960. Some of the maps are annotated with survey data (location of survey control stations, date of survey, surveyor, photograph taken at station, direction of photo) and some are not.

File 7 (container 932492-0007) consists of 54 forest maps annotated with survey data (Interim Forest Cover Series : Canada sheet maps), ca. 1950-1973. Maps are annotated with survey data (location of survey control stations, date of survey, surveyor, photograph number taken at station, direction of photo).

File 8 (container 932492-0008) consists of 59 forest maps annotated with survey data (Interim Forest Cover Series : Canada sheet maps), ca. 1970. Maps are annotated with survey data (location of survey control stations, date of survey, surveyor, photograph number taken at station, direction of view of the photo, etc.].

File 9 (container 932492-0009) consists of microfiche records of data output from Control Survey Data Base (CSDB). Index and microfiche 1 to 140 represent all B.C. map sheets (82A - 115A). Fiche 1 provides documentation on the data output and sort methods. What follows is a list of fields in the Control Survey Data Base (CSDB): Station Name; Tablet Marking (the number stamped on the marker); CSDB Name (the CSDB computer number); Horizontal Precision Scale H1-H8; Vertical Precision Scale V1-V8; Marked/unmarked Station (Brass bolt, Aluminium disk etc.); Photo Identified or Targeted; Mapsheet #; Date card written; Geographic Co-ords in NAD27; UTM Co-ords / UTM Zone / Central Meridian of the Zone; Roll & Frame # of Photo Identification / Target; Station description; Surveyor / Project Area / Year of Survey; Station site description / marker information; Surveyed rays / Azimuth or Bearing to other stations.

File 10 (container 932492-0010) consists of a sample of a field book (blank) which was retained for evidentiary value; and library materials including books on subjects related to topographical work.

File 11 (container 932492-0011) consists of photographs in the form of negative film rolls, ca. 1950-1953, which include images of river views and other miscellaneous unidentified scenes.

File 12 (container 932492-0012) consists of one map of British Columbia with topographical survey overlay, paper and mylar, British Columbia Ministry of Environment, 1980.

British Columbia. Surveys and Mapping Branch

New Westminster Land Commissioner files

  • GR-4121
  • Series
  • 1882-1978

This series consists of records related to the administration, management and alienation of land in the New Westminster land district from 1882-1978. The records were primarily created by the provincial Government Agent and the Dominion Land Agent stationed in New Westminster. The majority of these records are homestead files created by the dominion government. These files contain information about homesteaders, their applications and the process of obtaining title to land.

Record types and subject matter include, but are not limited to: land alienation through pre-emption or purchase from the provincial government and homesteading or purchase from the federal government; a variety of leases of Crown land; other general subject files; and records regarding Indigenous Peoples or Indian Reserves.

Records related to land alienation include: applications for pre-emption, purchase or lease; land classification reports; forms completed by land inspectors of the Department of Lands Inspection Branch; declarations of occupation and permanent improvement on pre-emption claims; applications for homestead entry, cancellation, and abandonment; homestead Inspector’s reports; affidavits in support of an Application for Entry; land sales records; correspondence with settlers and other government officials; patents; Crown Grants; certificates; forms; maps and plans; financial records including receipts and cheques; court records, such as probates; survey records; notices of sale or cancellation; and sale agreements.

Records related to leases and other uses of Crown land include: grazing leases; foreshore leases; dredging leases; special use permits; timber permits; timber berths; water licenses; applications for dyking schemes; campsite leases; oyster bed leases; right-of-ways (ROWs) through land for railways, roads, powerlines or pipelines; petroleum and natural gas leases; quarry leases; bar leases; coal leases; mining leases; and mineral claims. Other uses include government reserves, the establishment of parks, and the reservation of land for school sites or other public uses.

Other more general subject files include: inquiries about land availability; preliminary plans and correspondence for the survey and sale of townsites; Soldier Settlement Board records including forms, correspondence and records of soldier land grants; correspondence files on specific topics such as canal construction, the reclamation of Hatzic Lake, the draining of Sumas Lake and the establishment of fish culture and fish hatcheries; and business records of the office, including inter-department correspondence, circulars, and memorandum related to matters of land administration.

Files also exist for specific Indian Reserves, and can include correspondence; water records; surveys; and inspection reports created in the process of allotting new, and canceling or amending existing Indian Reserves. Some files document instances of overlapping land use and conflict between settlers and Indigenous peoples on specific parcels of land.

Files are generally either correspondence files on a particular subject, or a variety of records related to a particular piece of land. Many files cover a wide time period and may be associated with multiple individuals or companies, as land rights were often transferred to others or cancelled and reapplied for.

Only the name of the first individual listed on the file is included in the file list. This means there may be additional names associated with files not included on the file list. The file list may also only include part of the legal description of land in cases where the description was exceptionally long, or included many different pieces of land. Single individuals may also have multiple files for each piece of land they are associated with.

The series also includes some files related to land in the Yale Division and Kamloops Division of the Yale Land District; as well as the Lillooet Land District. These records were created in the offices of the Kamloops and Clinton Government Agents, but at some point became intermingled with the New Westminster records.

Maps, plans and sketches indicating the parcels of land relevant to the file are commonly found throughout the records.

British Columbia. Government Agent (New Westminster)

Kamloops Government Agent land records

  • GR-0522
  • Series
  • 1877-1977

The series consists of the business records, 1877-1977, of the office of the Kamloops Government Agent, including the records of several additional positions usually held by the same individual: Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, and Land Commissioner for the Kamloops Land District. The series also includes records of the Canadian Department of the Interior; most created and received by the Dominion Lands Agent at Kamloops as part of the administration of the Railway Belt.

Record types and subject matter include, but are not limited to the following: land alienation through pre-emption or purchase from the provincial government and homesteading or purchase from the federal government; a variety of leases of Crown land; other more general types of records; and records regarding Indigenous peoples and Indian Reserves.

Records related to land alienation include: applications for pre-emption records; land classification reports; forms completed by land inspectors of the Department of Lands Inspection Branch; declarations of occupation and permanent improvement on pre-emption claims; applications for homestead entry, cancellation, and abandonment; homestead Inspector’s reports; affidavits in support of an Application for Entry for a homestead, pre-emption or purchased homestead; land sales records including applications to purchase and certificates of purchase.

Records related to a variety of leases and other uses of Crown lands include: grazing leases; foreshore leases; dredging leases; indentures to reassign leases; special use permits; timber permits; water records including conditional water licenses, and permanent water licenses; applications for irrigation schemes; petroleum and natural gas leases; quarry leases; bar leases; coal leases; mining leases regarding surface and subsurface rights; applications for lease of crown-granted mineral claims; applications for placer leases under the Placer-Mining Act; and the lapse of a lease or forfeiture of a mineral claim to the Crown.

Other more general types of records include: correspondence regarding Crown grants; inquiries about land availability; surveyor’s reports; preliminary plans and correspondence for the surveys of townships; Soldier Settlement Board records including forms, correspondence and records of soldier land grants; attestation papers and discharge certificates; naturalization papers; personal correspondence; correspondence files on specific topics such as hay permit regulations or precipitation measurements; records regarding taxes; and business records of the office, including inter-department correspondence, circulars, and memorandum related to matters of land administration.

Files also exist for specific Indian Reserves, and can include correspondence; water records; surveys; and inspection reports created in the process of allotting new, and canceling existing Indian Reserves. Some files document instances of overlapping land use and conflict between settlers and Indigenous peoples on specific parcels of land.

Files are generally either correspondence files on a particular subject, or a variety of records related to a particular piece of land. Many files cover a wide time period and may be associated with multiple individuals or companies as land rights were often transferred to others or cancelled and reapplied for. Only the name of the first and last individual listed on the file is included in the file list. This means there may be additional names associated with files not included on the file list. The file list may also only include part of the legal description of land in cases where the description was exceptionally long, or included many different pieces of land. Single individuals may also have multiple files for each piece of land they are associated with.

Cartographic materials, consisting of blueprints and hand-drawn maps or plans, indicating the parcels of land relevant to the file, are commonly found throughout the records.

No file list or indexes were transferred with these records from the Kamloops Government Agent. Most files only included numbers with no clear names, so titles were created by the archives based on the contents of the files or by transcribing information on relevant file backs.

A fire on 17 September 1893 at the Dominion Lands Office in Kamloops destroyed some files. The contents for these files are marked [empty]. Files marked as [file back only] were likely destroyed in the fire, but then had their titles and some additional information transcribed by Lands employees onto file backs from letter books or other surviving records which were not transferred with these records.

British Columbia. Government Agent (Kamloops)

Surveys and Mapping Branch miscellaneous files

  • GR-1523
  • Series
  • 1935-1974

The series consists of general files created by the Surveys and Mapping Branch between 1935 and 1974. The files are in no particular order but may have been kept in the office of A.G. Slocomb, Chief of the Topographic Division. The files are arranged by subject and include general office files as well as specific files relating to surveyors and survey projects (E.R. McMinn), Air Division files (G.S. Andrews) and a correspondence file from 1935 to 1938 regarding the creation of Tweedsmuir Park (G.G. Aitken)

British Columbia. Surveys and Mapping Branch

Guy Houghton Blanchet fonds

  • PR-1201
  • Fonds
  • 1904-1970

The fonds consists of correspondence, journals, drafts of his "Search in the North", as well as an autobiography, short stories, poetry and photographs.

Blanchet, Guy Houghton, 1884-1966

Frank Cyril Swannell fonds

  • PR-0389
  • Fonds
  • 1811-1968

The fonds consists of diaries, photographs, field books, scrapbooks and files containing notes and correspondence. Fonds includes survey maps of land in Russia, Turkey, France, and British Columbia.

Swannell, Frank Cyril, 1880 - 1969

Pacific Great Eastern Railways lands survey of resources

  • GR-3084
  • Series
  • [ca. 1926-1968]

The series consists a survey of resources of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway lands undertaken by the Government of British Columbia, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company and the Canadian National Railways. The contents include maps, drawings and photographs.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources

Ceremony for the dedication of the site of British Columbia's Centennial survey monument : programme

  • GR-2052
  • Series
  • Jun. 1967

The series consists of a copy of the program for the dedication ceremony of the site of British Columbia's Centennial Survey Monument which took place at the new Museum and Archives precinct at the corner of Government and Belleville Streets in Victoria on Wednesday June 21, 1967.

The program includes a description of the ceremony, speeches, press release, photocopies of relevant newspaper articles, photocopy of invitation and guest list and six black and white photographs of the ceremony including the unveiling of the monument and an aerial view of the site.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources

Topographic Division survey files

  • GR-1522
  • Series
  • 1947-1963

The series consists of survey files created by the Topographic Division of the Surveys and Mapping Branch between 1947 and 1963. The files are in no particular order but appear to have been kept in the office of A.G. Slocomb, Chief of the Topographic Division. The files are arranged by subject and include general office files as well as specific files relating to surveyors and survey projects.

British Columbia. Topographic Division

Geographic Division

  • GR-1329
  • Series
  • 1915-1959

This series contains records relating to map production, map distribution, personnel and staff salaries. It includes miscellaneous memoranda on resources along the route of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (1936-1942) and a memorandum by F.C. Green on the Post-War Rehabilitation Council, 1943. This unit also includes three notebooks of G.G. Aitken, Chief Geographer, on map production, survey instructions, accounts, and acreages of streams and rivers in British Columbia.

British Columbia. Geographic Division

Executive records of the Chief Geographer

  • GR-0995
  • Series
  • 1916-1945, 1957

The series consists of records created by the Geographic Division between 1916 and 1957, and contain the files of the Chief Geographer, G.G. Aitken, relating to cartography, toponymy, surveying, boundaries, and miscellaneous other geographical topics. The files include correspondence, memoranda, reports, drafts of publications, research notes, pamphlets and clippings and records of the Natural Resources and Map Committee, 1924-1934.

The series also contains 23 road, highway and rail maps and two photographs of an unidentified dam.

British Columbia. Geographic Division

Norman Charles Stewart fonds

  • PR-2200
  • Fonds
  • 1910-1954, [200-]

The fonds consists of personal annual diaries or journals kept by Norman Charles Stewart and a transcript created by Joan Dakers. The original diaries are for the years 1910, 1925, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1939, 1945, 1947, 1952 (2 v.), 1953 and 1954. These records supplement the official surveyor field books he would have maintained as a BC Land Surveyor working for or with the Surveyor General's department. The transcript includes detailed copies and summaries of diaries from 1910 to 1951. Not all the supplemental information in the original diaries was transcribed.

Stewart, Norman Charles, 1885-1965

Corporation of Land Surveyors of British Columbia Heritage Trust pictorial history project

  • MS-3568
  • Series
  • [ca. 1910-1950]

Series consists of 208 photographs depicting the activities of land surveyors in British Columbia in the first half of the twentieth century. Many include detailed annotations on the verso. Most of the photographs are related to photo-topographical surveys, though there are a small number of aerial survey photographs as well. Although surveys throughout B.C. are depicted the highest concentration of photographs deal with the Alberta-British Columbia Boundary Commission of 1913-1924.

The records came from a variety of sources (see custodial history) and are arranged roughly according to survey expedition. Where this could not be determined records are arranged by size and format. Files in this series include the following:
Alberta-British Columbia Boundary Commission photographs
Alberta-British Columbia Boundary Commission photographs
Rocky mountain photographs
Air survey photographs
A.H. Ralf's Travel Bureau photographs
Duncan-Nanaimo survey photographs
Miscellaneous prints
B.C.L.S. mounted photographs
Conuma Peak photographs
Strathcona Provincial Park photographs
H.C. Stewart B.C.L.S.
Miscellaneous prints
Thomson negative
Photograph list and instruction manuals

Corporation of Land Surveyors of the Province of British Columbia

Minutes of decision of Joint Indian Reserve Commission

  • GR-2982
  • Series
  • 1876-1949; predominant 1876-1907

The series consists of minutes of decision of the Joint Indian Reserve Commission (1876-1878) of governments of Canada and British Columbia and of the Indian Reserve Commission (1878-1907) of the government of Canada regarding allotment of Indian reserves in British Columbia.

Records consist of correspondence, memoranda, reports and coloured maps of the reserve allotments. Although these records are called Joint Reserve Commission records, they probably form part of the British Columbia Department of Lands and Works fonds. Most of the records are stamped with the Lands and Works Dept. stamp and also have Lands and Works file numbers assigned to each, after they were received from the Commission. Some files then had additional related records added to by Department staff, as reserves were surveyed or related issues came up. Additional records were added to several files by Department of Lands staff up to 1949.

In addition, the series includes an item level precis of each document, created by the Dept. of Lands in 1980. The precis are filed in the first file of each box.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Daniel Lawrence McMullan fonds

  • PR-2337
  • Fonds
  • 1928-1946

The fonds consists of three photograph albums created by Donald Lawrence McMullan between 1928 and 1946. The photographs document his work on forest survey teams for both the provincial and federal governments, as well as surveys conducted by logging and railroad companies.

The first two albums contain photographs from several survey jobs, arranged chronologically. They are divided into sections with an introductory page and a cartographic drawing showing where the particular survey took place. The photographs are usually dated with captions and are as follows:
Album 1 (1928-1933)
Amiskwi and Beaverfoot survey, 1928, Forest Service, Dept. of the Interior, Canada
P.G.E. resources survey, 1929, Forest Resources Branch, British Columbia
Preliminary survey of a proposed logging railroad, 1930, Bloedel, Stewart & Welch Ltd. logging company
Elk Forest survey, 1930, British Columbia Forest Service
North Kamloops Survey, 1931, British Columbia Survey Branch
Railway belt survey, 1932, British Columbia Forest Service
Railroad logging operation, 1933, Industrial Timber Mills Ltd.
Album 2 (1934-1939):
Surveys for logging railroads, 1934-1935, UBO Industrial Timber Mills Ltd.
Kettle Forest Survey, 1935, British Columbia Forest Service
E&N Survey, 1936-1937
Harrison Survey, 1939

The third album, created between 1940 and 1946, contains photographs from McMullan's later career and show general forestry activities on Vancouver Island, mainland British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska. Captions and dates are inconsistently applied.

The fonds also includes a copy of McMullan's thesis entitled "The Work of the Surveys Division: British Columbia Forest Service" written in 1932 during McMullan's studies at the University of British Columbia. This thesis is illustrated with five b&w prints and an annotated map. Also included in the fonds is a notice of permanent appointment to the British Columbia civil service dated March 25, 1937 with attached salary schedule and a letter to McMullan dated January 20, 1938 regarding a new classification grading system for Foresters.

McMullan, Daniel Lawrence

Correspondence of the Chief Geographer

  • GR-0950
  • Series
  • 1921-1943

This series consists of correspondence inward and outward of the Chief Geographer of British Columbia, George Griffith Aitken. Records are arranged in rough alphabetical order.

British Columbia. Geographic Division

Report on land districts

  • GR-1757
  • Series
  • 1935-1936

This series consists of a report by C.E. Tildesley, titled" Concerning the Land districts of British Columbia". Bound typescript.

British Columbia. Surveys Branch

Report on land districts

  • GR-1758
  • Series
  • 1935-1936

"Report on the gazettings of Land Districts of British Columbia", by C.E. Tildesley. Bound typescript.

British Columbia. Surveys Branch

Land surveys relating to the Railway Belt and Peace River Block

  • GR-0437
  • Series
  • 1885-1930

This series consists of correspondence files relating to surveys in British Columbia including:
68 boxes of files, mostly numbered chronologically, which contain branch correspondence with a particular surveyor for a season;
27 boxes of files relating to surveys of quarter sections in the Railway Belt and the Peace River Block. These files are arranged in order of their township, range, and meridian numbers, working from east to west. Peace River Block files are placed at the end of the series (boxes 24-27); and
6 boxes of Dominion Land Surveyors' diaries (146 volumes). Most of these diaries cover surveys along the CPR mainline.

Canada. Department of the Interior

Henry Fry fonds

  • PR-0924
  • Fonds
  • 1885-1923

The fonds consists of records created by Henry Fry from 1885 to 1911 including diaries, field notes, and an account book relating to surveys carried out on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands and in the Cariboo. The fonds also includes miscellaneous field books created by other surveyors from 1886 to 1923.

Fry, Henry, 1852-1912

Alan Thomson fonds

  • PR-0152
  • Fonds
  • 1911-1920

The fonds consists of diaries relating to the Alberta-British Columbia boundary surveys.

Thomson, Alan

Percy E. Barraclough fonds

  • PR-1092
  • Fonds
  • 1911-1920

The fonds consists of photographs of surveying trips to Port Simpson and along the Alaska boundary survey.

Barraclough, Percy E.

Records relating to surveys and surveyors field books

  • GR-1148
  • Series
  • 1913-1920

Records relating to surveys and surveyors field books. Consists of a register of surveyors' field books on Vancouver Island, especially Victoria district; an alphabetical street index to surveyors' field books for the City of Victoria, and miscellaneous correspondence pertaining to surveys. Includes record of surveys done since 1858.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Surveyor General correspondence outward

  • GR-1812
  • Series
  • 1911-1918

Letterpress copies of correspondence outward from the Surveyor-General. Many of the volumes contain nominal indexes of correspondents. Volumes 26 - 31 have been water damaged and are partly illegible.

British Columbia. Surveys Branch

Lands Department executive records

  • GR-0440
  • Series
  • 1872-1918

This series consists of letterpress copies of letters outward from the Deputy Minister of Lands, Deputy Commissioner of Lands, Surveyor-General, Deputy Commissioner of Lands and Water, and Chief Commissioner of Lands & Works, and associated registers. Volumes 1-241 are accessed through separate registers (series II, vols. 1-22); volumes 242-314 contain their own registers.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands. Deputy Minister

Letterpress reference books of surveyed land

  • GR-1058
  • Series
  • 1908-1914

This series contains letterpress reference books of surveyed land, usually including name of land holder and lot number. The entries are arranged by land district for each reporting date. These lists were published later as notices in the British Columbia Gazette. These books were used by the Dept. of Lands to record file numbers and other information concerning the process.

British Columbia. Surveys Branch

Strathcona Park Survey records

  • GR-1558
  • Series
  • 1912-1914

This series contains diaries (1912-1914; 3 vols.), line index books, (4 cols.), and surveyors' field books (11 vols.) from the Strathcona Park Survey.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

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