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Chilliwack County Court bench books

  • GR-2087
  • Series
  • 1912-1954

Series consists of Chilliwack County Court bench books for civil and criminal cases between 1912-1954. Cases were heard before Judges Howay, Ruggles, Ellis, Swanson, Sullivan, and Grimmett. Volume 1 includes lists of applications for naturalization. Volume 3 also includes notes by Judge Howay regarding his final day on the bench at Chilliwack in 1937. Only volume 4 is indexed.

British Columbia. County Court (Chilliwack)

Delgamuukw court records

  • GR-3481
  • Series
  • 1985-1991

The series consists of transcripts of court proceedings, cross-examinations, examination of discovery, exhibit indices, closing statements, briefs, and reasons for judgement of Delgamuukw v. The Queen. The case was heard in the Smithers Supreme Court between 1987 and 1989 (case file 0843). Following the hearings in Smithers, the case reached the BC Court of Appeal and eventually made its way to the Supreme Court of Canada where a landmark ruling was finally issued in 1997.

The transcripts of the proceedings at trial, which consist of 369 spiral-bound volumes, provide a wealth of information on First Nations genealogies, traditional resource knowledge, and language, as well as details of the extent of traditional territories. The series consists of more than 23,000 pages of trial transcript and includes the testimonies of more than 60 witnesses. The series also includes the reasons for judgment. Gitxsan hereditary chief Delgamuukw (Albert Tait), who filed the Statement of Claim, passed away shortly before the trial opened in 1987 and was succeeded by Kenneth Muldoe who was in turn succeeded by his brother, artist Earl Muldon. The claim covered 133 traditional territories, which amounted to 58,000 square kilometers of northwestern British Columbia. Peter R Grant served as lead counsel for the Gitxan and Wet-suwet'en chiefs, and D.M.M. Goldie served as lead counsel for the Province.

The files are arranged as they arrived from the Smithers court registry. Boxes 1 to 13 contain the proceedings at trial. Boxes 16 and 17 include lists of exhibits which provide information on relevant archival collections held in repositories across the province.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Smithers)

Reasons for judgement

  • GR-2097
  • Series
  • 1989

Reasons for judgement of the Honourable Chief Justice Allan McEachern in the case of Delgamuukw, also known as Ken Muldoe, suing on his own behalf and on behalf of all members of the House of Delgamuukw and others vs. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the province of British Columbia and the Attorney General of British Columbia. Case no. 843/1984 (Smithers registry), heard at Vancouver, B.C., July 6-7, 1989.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vancouver)

Index to map books

  • GR-4101
  • Series
  • [1912-1944]

Series consists of one bound alphabetical index of map books (and individual sheets) dating from 1859 to 1944 and thought to have been complied by the British Columbia Geographic Branch. The index includes a sheet number, book number, title, scale, and date for each item. Additional annotations in pencil, coloured pencil, or ink are found throughout.

The location of indexed items is unknown, and items may not be in the custody of the BC Archives.

British Columbia. Geographic Branch

Hamilton Laing fonds

  • PR-0616
  • Fonds
  • 1870-1982

The fonds consists of correspondence, notes and manuscripts of articles and books concerning birds, mammals and plants, and notes and correspondence concerning pioneering in rural Manitoba and Comox, B.C. Personal correspondence includes that with his mother, his wife, and other family members. Fonds includes photographs, miscellaneous tax and financial records, maps of North America, and records relating to house construction. In 2024, Laing's field notebooks, journals and diaries were added to the fonds, having been transferred from Natural History at the Royal BC Museum.

Laing, Hamilton Mack, 1883-1982

Rock Creek store ledger

  • GR-4233
  • Series
  • 1861

This volume was created by WG Cox, Police Magistrate and Gold Commissioner of Rock Creek in 1861. The ledger lists all of the furniture, fixtures, supplies and other items located at the Rock Creek government office and their "fate" - possibly where some items were moved to when the office closed around 1863.

British Columbia. Gold Commissioner (Rock Creek)

Archives visual records collection

  • F5
  • Collection
  • [ca. 1850-1990]

The Archives photo collection (also known as the General file or genfile) consists of photographs collected by the Archives from around 1908 until the 1990s. The photographs were primarily collected because of their subject matter and little or no information was gathered as to their provenance and type. A single volume, arranged numerically by a classification code, appears to indicate that the first 14,000 or so photographs acquired were arranged by subject groupings.

By 1934, the annual report of the Provincial Library and Archives department noted that the "collection of photographs and prints in the Archives, which is estimated to consist of at least 14,000 items, is rapidly outgrowing the old filing system, and sooner or later the entire collection must be recatalogued and rearranged." In 1935 the new system of applying individual catalogue numbers known as "HP" or "Historic Photograph" numbers had begun. In 1940 the Provincial Archivist reported that half the photographs had been recatalogued. The cataloguing consisted of entering the photographs into registers in HP number order; the first number assigned was HP101 or HP000101. This system of item level numbering continued into the 1990s with over 100,000 photographs entered into the HP accession registers. While most of these photographs continued to be acquired because of their subject matter, selected photographs that formed part of original record groups, were also catalogued with an HP number.

The "original" photographs acquired in this way consist mainly of photographic prints in a variety of sizes and formats, but also include original negatives (both glass and flexible). In many cases, the Archives borrowed and copied photographs from individuals and other institutions. In these cases the "original" is a copy print made by the Archives at the time.

The prints are stored in HP number order in several runs: main run of several hundred boxes, one run of Maynard photographs, two runs of oversized photographic prints and one run of large oversized prints stored in map cabinets. Original negatives are stored by type (glass, nitrate, acetate, polyester etc.), usually by HP number. These original records are often know as "HP originals".

Copy prints were made of many of the prints and are arranged by subject in several runs. Portrait/family files are arranged in alphabetical order; topographic (place name) files are arranged alphabetically by place name and then by subject within the place; and a small set of subject files (including ships) are arranged alphabetically by subject. There are a variety of indexes and lists of files available in the Archives to help determine which general file copy print files are available on request.

Copy negatives (arranged by negative number or photo lab number) were made from many of the prints and original negatives. These records were used for reproductions and are stored in a large negative cabinet.

British Columbia Archives

Divorce court orders

  • GR-3255
  • Series
  • 1901-1983

The series consists of copies of British Columbia divorce court orders submitted to the Division of Vital Statistics and its predecessor, the Vital Statistics Branch. It includes copies of divorce orders for Victoria from 1901 to 1983 and for British Columbia from 1935 to 1983.

In 1935 an amendment to the Vital Statistics Act required that the Vital Statistics Branch be sent a certified copy of each court order relating to the dissolution of marriage. From 1 April 1935 until 1986, when the requirement for the Division of Vital Statistics to maintain a central divorce register was repealed, divorce orders were sent to Victoria. Copies of final decrees dating back to 1901 were also submitted by the Victoria court registry.

The Victoria orders from 1901 to 1935 are arranged roughly by year. Volume number 999 was assigned to this group of records in 1946 (see GR-3254 description). For British Columbia divorce orders starting in 1935, a sequential volume numbering system was introduced, continuing until 1976. Each year consists of several volumes which are organized alphabetically within groups of months. File numbering to 1946 was sequential but thereafter usually started at 1 at the beginning of each year. From 1977 to 1983, there were no volume numbers assigned.

The volumes and file numbers are internal Vital Statistics numbers and are not the same as the volume and folio numbers assigned by the respective court registries. These orders are intended for reference purposes only. If a certified copy is required, a copy should be made from the original filed document which may be available from the British Columbia Archives or may still be in the custody of the issuing court registry.

British Columbia. Division of Vital Statistics

Department of Lands and Works correspondence received by the Lieutenant Governor

  • GR-4234
  • Series
  • 1871-1895

This series consists of correspondence between the Department of Lands and Works and the Lieutenant Governor, or his personal secretary, from 1871-1895. The records were listed as correspondence book 479 and include an index of the included correspondence. Correspondence relates to a variety of subjects.

British Columbia. Lieutenant Governor

Vancouver Island liquor license receipt book

  • GR-4248
  • Series
  • 1867

This series consists of one receipt stub book for liquor licenses sold by the Colony of Vancouver Island in 1867. The stubs list the number of the licence, date, name of the applicant, and the amount paid. Only a portion of the book has been used.

Vancouver Island (Colony)

Treasury correspondence index by subject

  • GR-4247
  • Series
  • 1859-1961

This series consists of an index to correspondence, indexed by the subject of the letter. The index was created for correspondence written between 1859 and 1861 by the Colony of BC Treasury Department. The index lists the date of commencement of correspondence, date of termination of correspondence, the subject, remarks, and the number(s) assigned to the letters outward written by Treasury staff. Some of the correspondence descripted in this series in located in GR-1740.

British Columbia (Colony). Treasury Dept.

Salmon Arm County Court criminal case files

  • GR-2939
  • Series
  • 1931-1947

Series consists of 16 Salmon Arm County Court criminal case files from 1931-1947. Most cases were conducted under the Speedy Trials Act. Docket is included with the records.

British Columbia. County Court (Salmon Arm)

Duncan County Court civil case files

  • GR-2487
  • Series
  • 1910-1949

Series consists of Duncan County Court civil case files from 1910-1949.

British Columbia. County Court (Duncan)

Minister of Tourism executive records

  • GR-4204
  • Series
  • 1986 - 1989

The series consists of the executive records of the Minister of Tourism created between 1986-1989 in BC. During this time period, the ministry was known as the Ministry of Tourism, Recreation and Culture (OIC 1908/86), the Ministry of Tourism and Provincial Secretary (OIC 1988-1312), and the Ministry of Tourism (OIC 1577/89). The minister at this time was Bill Reid who was in office during Expo 86, the World’s Fair in Vancouver. Records, mainly correspondence and subject files, cover the province’s arts, culture, and tourism sectors. Some files provide evidence of the promotion and encouragement of the tourist industry such as Expo, the cruise ship industry, BC ferries, and the Molson Indy, while others document cultural and heritage services such as heritage conservation and museums. The series also includes files related to recreation and sports, the film industry, and BC Lotto.

The records are arranged alphabetically by subject. Most files are also assigned an alphanumeric file code. They include incoming and outgoing correspondence of the minister’s office, meeting materials, cabinet committee and other committee records, records of boards and organizations, various publications and brochures, and news articles. These records are covered by the Executive Records schedule (102906).

British Columbia. Ministry of Tourism, Recreation and Culture

Death registrations

  • GR-2951
  • Series
  • 1872-1988

The series consists of copies of British Columbia death registrations from the Vital Statistics Agency. The records are on microfilm and cover the period 1872 to 1988.

The records are death registrations, beginning in 1872, which consist of completed statements and related documents regarding deaths which have been submitted to District Registrars and then registered by the Registrar or Director of Vital Statistics in Victoria. The statements contain: the registration district name and/or number; the registration number; the name of the deceased; gender; date of death; age; profession (if known); date of birth; cause of death; name of physician; name and residence of informant; religious affiliation; and date of registration. Statements sometimes include the decedent's marital status and names and birth places of the decedent's parents. Each death registration should include a supporting record called "Medical Certificate of Death" which states the cause of death as determined by a physician or coroner. These records are created by physicians or coroners, submitted to District Registrars and registered by the Registrar or Director of Vital Statistics. The certificates contain personal particulars of deceased persons, statements concerning the time and cause of death, and the name and residence of the certifying physician or coroner. However, this document was not included on a regular basis until 1896, and not with every registration until 1912. From 1872 until 1911 the death registrations and medical certificates of death are on separate forms. Beginning in 1912 the two statements are included on one form and both parts are always completed. Some death registrations also include documents received under the Coroner's Act. This Act requires coroners to submit to the BCVSA particulars of the cause and time of death as determined by a coroner's inquest. These documents include "Certificate of Cause of Death as Determined by Coroner's Inquest" and "Warrant to Bury After a View".

The only persons excluded from registration under the 1872 Act were Chinese and Indigenous people. This was changed by an amendment in 1897 (SBC 1897, c. 33, s. 3) which stated that the Act would apply to all races including all Indigenous, Chinese and Japanese people. However, the Act was amended in 1899 (SBC 1899, c. 8, s. 3) to once again exclude Indigenous people from provincial registration. This continued until the Act was amended again in 1916 (SBC 1916, c. 73, s. 3.2) to authorize the registration of Indigenous people, which began in 1917 with Indian Agents submitting registrations monthly. In 1943 this system was formalized with a special form for "Indian death registrations". From 1917 to 1956 "Indian" registrations were recorded in separate volumes with a separate numbering system. For 1917 to 1944 the registration numbers consist of a prefix (the volume number) followed by a sequentially assigned number. From 1945 to 1956 the numbers have a prefix (volume number 95) followed by a sequentially assigned number. Indigenous registrations for 1917 to 1956 have been microfilmed on separate reels of film (B13359 to B13363 and B13374 to B13377), as have the delayed Indigenous registrations in volume number 995 (B13378). From 1872 to 1945 the registration numbers consist of a six-digit sequential running number which periodically starts over again at number one. During these years delayed registrations were maintained as a separate series (volume number 900A) and microfilmed on a separate reel of film (B13358).

Beginning with 1946 the registration and the "finding number" are the same. For each year, the registrations start at volume 001, registration 001. The registration numbers therefore begin with number 001001 through 001999 (volume 001, registrations 001 through 999), continue in volume 2 (002001 through 002999), and so on to the end of the year. Many volumes are physically separated into A and B sections. The A section of these volumes covers registration numbers 001 to 500 and the B section covers numbers 501 to 999. Registration numbers 000001 to 001000 do not exist, and neither do registrations ending in 000. Two numbers are stamped on most of the registration forms. In the upper right-hand corner is the official registration number as described above. At the centre top is a three-part hyphenated numerical code (for example, 05-09-026450). The first part of the code indicates the year of death; the second part is the code for British Columbia; and the third part consists of the six-digit "finding number". The first three digits of the "finding number" are the volume number; the last three digits are the last digits of the official registration number. Users should look for the last three digits of the official registration number within the correct volume. Users will note that from 1872 to 1931 records are also arranged by name of geographical region or registration district, and then alphabetically within the region or district. Beginning in 1932 records are no longer arranged alphabetically by name of person, and by 1 January 1933 the arrangement by place name has also been abandoned. The geographic/alphabetic arrangement cannot be depended upon, except as a secondary method of locating a record.

The index is an enhanced copy of the index database maintained by the BCVSA. The microfiche index is derived from this enhanced index. Please note that the information on the computer and microfiche indexes is provided only for the purpose of locating registrations and should not be taken as authoritative. The final authority for all registration information is the registration document itself.

British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency

Cranbrook County Court civil case files

  • GR-2349
  • Series
  • 1942-1948

Series consists of civil case files created by the Cranbrook County Court between 1942 and 1948. Civil case files may possibly contain a notice of claim, notice of petition, writs, affidavits, orders, and/or a final judgment.

British Columbia. County Court (Cranbrook)

Cranbrook County Court civil case files

  • GR-1613
  • Series
  • 1905-1941

Series consists of civil case files created by the Cranbrook County Court between 1905 and 1941. Civil case files may possibly contain a notice of claim, notice of petition, writs, affidavits, orders, and/or a final judgment.

British Columbia. County Court (Cranbrook)

Barkerville Supreme Court probate/estate files

  • GR-2019
  • Series
  • 1940-1947

Series consists of probate/estate files, including letters of administration, created by the Barkerville Supreme Court between 1940 and 1947.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Barkerville)

Barkerville County Court probate/estate files

  • GR-2021
  • Series
  • 1914-1916

Series consists of probate/estate files, including letters of administration, created by the Barkerville County Court between 1914 and 1916.

British Columbia. County Court (Barkerville)

Barkerville County Court probate/estate files

  • GR-2020
  • Series
  • 1940-1949

Series consists of probate/estate files created by the Barkerville County Court between 1940 and 1949.

British Columbia. County Court (Barkerville)

Correspondence files ("O" series) with regard to Crown lands

  • GR-1441
  • Series
  • 1918-1985

This series contains microfilmed copies of O series correspondence files relating to the administration, management, conservation and development of Crown Lands and natural resources.

These correspondence files were microfilmed by the Lands Branch in 3 stages between 1955-1958, 1970-1975
and 1982-1986 resulting in 9 sets, or runs, of files. Many files are missing and researchers should go directly to the Ministry at CLRHelp@gov.bc.ca for access to the originals when they are looking for specific complex issue files or those that may not have been microfilmed.

Many of the microfilm reels contain amendments or updates to previously filmed correspondence files. These amendments are usually found at the beginning of the reel and, except for the last three files on reel B10989, are not noted on the file list.

Summarized within the finding aid are the three microfilming projects. For reels between B10918 and B10989 that were microfilmed in 1986, the lowest file number beginning a sequence may represent the start of a new range of file numbers, an amendment or update, or a file filmed out of numeric order. Check these last 72 reels carefully because many files were filmed out of numeric order.

British Columbia. Lands Branch

Fort Victoria fonds

  • PR-1683
  • Fonds
  • 1844-1860, 1877-1895

The fonds consists of correspondence, account books, a land office blotter, letterbooks, and fur tariffs of Fort Victoria and the Victoria Land Office of the Hudson's Bay Company. Fonds include a register of land purchased from Indians near Fort Victoria and a record of agreements with Indians at Fort Rupert, Nanaimo, Barkley Sound and Port Alberni.

Hudson's Bay Company. Fort Victoria

File check list of Lands correspondence

  • GR-0991
  • Series
  • 1981

The series consists of a copy of a 1981 file check list to Lands correspondence "O" files (or O series) 1918 to 1970, created by the Surveys and Land Records Branch.

The checklist lists O file numbers 1 to 40,000, arranged numerically. Inactive files, which were transferred to the BC Archives in 1980 and 1981 and returned to Crown Land Registry in 1997, have been annotated in the list with an original box number.

Use this list to determine whether a Lands "O" file is in the custody of the Crown Land Registry by finding the file number in the list and checking to see if there is an annotation next to it. If there is, contact Crown Land Registry for access.
If no annotation appears, check the file disposition list (GR-1225) for further information about other possible locations of files. Files may have been microfilmed, been transferred to another ministry or may have remained active with Crown Land Registry all along.

British Columbia. Surveys and Land Records Branch

Sisters of St. Ann Archives collection

  • SSA
  • Collection
  • 1850 - 2021

The collection consists of records related to the creation and function of the Sisters of St. Ann in St. Joseph's Province, which covers the geographic area of British Columbia, the Yukon, Alaska, Oregon and Washington State. The SSA Archives acquired records created by the Sisters and the Corporation, as well as associated bodies such as parent-teacher organizations or alumnae societies for the schools they were involved in. The collection is currently arranged into 53 fonds, with the records created by The Sisters in one main fonds (PR-2415) which is comprised of approximately 140 series. The additional fonds are records created by external related bodies, such as the St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae, Providence Farm in Duncan, and the Friends of St. Ann's Academy.

The Sisters of St. Ann were involved in education and healthcare throughout British Columbia as well as in the Yukon and Alaska, and the records in this collection represent those activities, as well as the place of the congregation in the broader Catholic landscape of Western Canada. Records reflect the Sisters' presence in parochial and residential schools as well as hospitals, but also their relationship to their motherhouse in Lachine, Quebec, and the reporting structures of a congregation of women religious. There are many series that are related to a specific institution where the Sisters worked, but additional information about that institution will be held in administrative series such as the Provincial Bursar records or the Provincial Superior records.

The records in this collection are on numerous formats, including textual, photographic, audio and visual recordings, artworks, published library materials, objects, and digital records.

The Sisters of Saint Ann

Vernon County Court bench books

  • GR-3508
  • Series
  • 1890-1953

The series consists of nine volumes of judges’ bench books from the Vernon County Court and the County Court of Yale holden at Vernon. The series includes both civil and criminal court cases and includes two 1934 volumes of the records of County Court Judge J.D. Swanson.

British Columbia. County Court (Vernon)

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