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This series consists of the records of the Public Works Engineer related to the construction, renovation and maintenance of courthouses and other government buildings, such as gaols (jails), lockups, hospitals, and government offices. The records date from 1900-1907. The majority of the records are correspondence to and from the Engineer. Other types of records include: tenders, contracts, financial records, lists of supplies, specifications, architectural plans, blueprints, sketches, maps, and other plans.

The records cover public buildings in the following locations: Alberni, Ashcroft, Atlin, Chilliwack, Comaplix, Creston, Fernie, Golden, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Lillooet, Moyie, Nakusp, Nanaimo, Nelson, New Westminster, Poplar, Port Simpson, Princeton, Rossland, Sandon, Trout Lake, Vancouver, Vernon, and Victoria.

The records had no discernable original order. The Archivist has arranged the records alphabetically by the name of the relevant town, then chronologically.

The series consists of records created by the Dept. of Lands and Works between 1872 and 1896 regarding public works. The records contains contracts, specifications, correspondence, and some plans connected with the construction and repair of schools, government buildings, and smaller works.

A limited number of files contained plans and a few files contained plans only. These files are indicated in the finding aid by * and ** respectively. All plans have been removed from the files and accessioned in the Map Collection as M856047. Appendix 1 of the finding aid lists the plans.

The file list provides the file number assigned by Public Works, the original contract number in square brackets, the name of the building or work, and the date of the contract.

The series consists of approximately 23,000 photographic negatives created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1969 and 1978, to manage historic building plans and drawings of public buildings throughout British Columbia. The plans include those for law courts, highways maintenance yards, police buildings, hospitals and health centres, government office buildings, liquor stores, correctional centres and camps, sewage treatment plants, fire halls, civil defence buildings, vocational schools, universities, mental health institutions, provincial schools and the Provincial Legislative buildings.

The negatives were made from original plans sent to, and filmed by, the Reproductions Laboratory in batches. If the Dept. of Public Works did not hold an original plan, it was borrowed from consultants and returned after filming. The laboratory made two negatives for each plan and assigned them the same negative number. Negatives in each filming batch were arranged in batches in negative number order, from number 22,000 to 229,581, but numbering between batches was discontinuous. Each negative was housed in an envelope on which was recorded the negative number, Public Works plan number, date of filming, camera setting and density. The Reproductions Laboratory retained one negative from each pair and sent the other to the Public Works Plan Library. The negatives were then used to produce microform reference copies of the plans, in the form of aperture cards, which were then distributed throughout the Department.

The series also contains ca. 2300 negatives arranged by Public Works drawing number (DPW). These four boxes of negatives probably duplicate those arranged by negative number as well as the aperture cards in GR-2176.

Use the indexes to Public Works building buildings plans (GR-2184) in order to determine the negative numbers for specific buildings.

The item is a b&w photograph, mounted on a card. It shows the Government office and jail at South Fort George.

This series contains correspondence inward to the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works relating to various public works, buildings, bridges and roads, surveys, government reserves, and general land matters. Includes memoranda, minutes, telegraphs, and sketches. Files W2/71 to W218/72, 29 December 1871 to 29 July 1872.

This series consists of architectural proposals and consultants reports on topics connected with the construction of public buildings, urban development, siting, traffic patterns, and design requirements. Reports have been created for the Department of Public Works by various sources, including Arthur Erikson Architects, The Environmental Analysis Group (TEAG), UBC School of Architecture, BCIT, Vancouver City Planning Department, and other various architects and engineers.

The series consists of records created by the Dept. of Public Works engineer between 1900 and 1912. Records include correspondence, memoranda, plans, and specifications concerning the Vancouver Court House.

The series consists of a report entitled "Specifications for B.C. Archives & Museum, Victoria, B.C. Phase 4." Vol. 2 of 6.

Selected papers from the following projects: design and building of the Vancouver Court House, alterations to the Victoria Court House, design and building of Government House, Victoria, B.C., and the design and building of the Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C. Originals for some papers in this microfilm may be found in GR-0830.

This series contains records relating to Government House. Inventories of household goods, furniture, and effects, 1881-1882, 1899-1900, 1903; lists of goods damaged in the Government House fire, May 18, 1899; one letter regarding Government House fire insurance, July 7, 1899; Government House Insurance Policies, 1876-1906.

The series consists of approximately 23,000 aperture cards created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1969 and 1978, to manage historic building plans and drawings of public buildings throughout British Columbia. The plans include those for law courts, highways maintenance yards, police buildings, hospitals and health centres, government office buildings, liquor stores, correctional centres and camps, sewage treatment plants, fire halls, civil defence buildings, vocational schools, universities, mental health institutions, provincial schools and the Provincial Legislative buildings.

Each card contains a 35 mm microfiche copy of a plan or drawing made from a negative of an original plan, along with Public Works Drawing number and the negative number assigned to the 105 mm version of the plan or drawing. The cards are arranged numerically by the PWD number. Use the indexes to Public Works building buildings plans (GR-2184) in order to determine the PWD number.
Three groups of numbers and/or letters were used to make up the drawing number. The first group consists of numbers only and indicates the assigned area number. The second group consists of a letter or figure which denotes the type of plan.
When the drawing was used as a site plan, topographical plan or services (utilities) plan one of the following letters was used:
A - Architectural perspectives
E - Electric distribution, exterior floodlighting, street lighting etc. systems
L - Landscaping
M - Mechanical Services distribution systems
S - Site & topographical plans, excavation, levelling, roads, parking areas, sewage, water distribution and collecting systems
When the drawing was used as a building plan, the three part number consisted of area number, building number and sheet number.
The third group consisted of a letter/number group denoting the type of drawing and sheet number using the following letters:
A – Architectural
E – Electric circuitry and detail pertaining to the building
F - Furniture and fixtures
M - Mechanical
P – Plumbing
S – Civil/Structural
When an alteration (revision) was made to an existing plan, the new trace bears the same number as the original drawing, followed by an oblique stroke and number indicating the alteration.
When a new wing or extension was made to an existing building, the drawing would bear the first two groups as the original drawing but the third group started at 201. A second wing or addition to the same building would bear sheet numbers starting at 301.

The item is a typescript copy of an essay by P.A. Lindgren titled "A study of the Custom House at Victoria, B.C." 24 leaves: illus., figs., maps. University of Victoria. Bibliography: 22 leaves.

The series consists of indexes created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1969 and 1978 to manage building plans of public buildings throughout British Columbia. The province was divided into areas and then each public building or complex was given a number within the area. The actual plans, which are on aperture cards or negatives, are arranged by PWD number and these indexes can be used to locate specific ones.

The first index is the building file register; which explains the departmental filing system (both for files and drawings) and lists the building numbers and sub-numbers in order of area.

The next index is a four volume cross reference index, arranged numerically by area number. Within each area, the buildings are listed with a brief description, the sheet number (Public Works Drawing number) and the negative number of the building plans.

The most useful index for finding building plans is probably the 16 volume building plan index sorted alphabetically by location. Within each location, there are pages listing the building titles with descriptions of each drawing and its type and sheet number, the dates of the drawings and their negative number. This index was microfilmed in 1978 and a copy of the microfilm reel is in the file.

In addition there is a register listing of the plans in negative number order as they were assigned and filmed, from number 22000 to 44999, 150000 to 159999 and 45795 to 228947. Not all of the numbers were used.

Three groups of numbers and/or letters were used to make up the drawing number. The first group consists of numbers only and indicates the assigned area number. The second group consists of a letter or figure which denotes the type of plan.
When the drawing was used as a site plan, topographical plan or services (utilities) plan one of the following letters was used:
A - Architectural perspectives
E - Electric distribution, exterior floodlighting, street lighting etc. systems
L - Landscaping
M - Mechanical Services distribution systems
S - Site & topographical plans, excavation, levelling, roads, parking areas, sewage, water distribution and collecting systems
When the drawing was used as a building plan, the three part number consisted of area number, building number and sheet number.
The third group consisted of a letter/number group denoting the type of drawing and sheet number using the following letters:
A – Architectural
E – Electric circuitry and detail pertaining to the building
F - Furniture and fixtures
M - Mechanical
P – Plumbing
S – Civil/Structural
When an alteration (revision) was made to an existing plan, the new trace bears the same number as the original drawing, followed by an oblique stroke and number indicating the alteration.
When a new wing or extension was made to an existing building, the drawing would bear the first two groups as the original drawing but the third group started at 201. A second wing or addition to the same building would bear sheet numbers starting at 301.

The series consists of the Dept. of Public Works central registry files including the building and subject file register and index.

The files are arranged by file code and are stored in over 300 containers (000329-0001 to 000329-0369). In order to access the files, first consult the registers and indexes in GR-1248 boxes A, B and C.

Box A consists of offsite container lists created by Archives staff. These lists provide the offsite container numbers for the original Public Works box and file numbers. Box B contains the original buildings file register, listed numerically with an alphabetical index by geographical area and Box C contains the original subject file register.

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.

List of public works and the names of those submitting tenders, including accounts bids, 1888-1898. Includes file number references.