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Archival description
Only top-level descriptions British Columbia--Politics and government
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Legislative Council records

  • GR-1530
  • Series
  • 1859-1871

This series contains drafts of bills, ordinances, and regulations.

British Columbia. Legislative Council

Executive Council records

  • GR-0444
  • Series
  • 1859-1913

This series consists of records of the Executive Council, 1859-1913. Records include minutes of Colonial and Provincial Executive Council, ministerial reports, State Books, orders-in-council, registers, and indices (1859-1913), along with petitions, dispatches, and correspondence inward to Lieutenant- Governor in Council (1871-1909).

The Executive Council papers are among the most important of the early provincial government records held by the B.C. Archives. The value of the papers stems from the fact that the Council itself is the most important and influential level of government in the province. It is at the Executive Council level that government policies and regulations are discussed, formulated, and implemented; it is at this level that decisions are made regarding the overall running of the province. During the the period covered by GR-0444, it was also the responsibility of the Executive Council to handle the many contentious issues which affected Dominion-Provincial and Imperial-Provincial relations.

The Executive Council received and considered virtually all of the dispatches sent to the Lieutenant-Governor from Ottawa or London. Most of the petitions and memorials submitted by individuals or groups in the province to the Lieutenant-Governor were considered by the Council, too. In addition, the Executive Council dealt with correspondence from private citizens, as well as reports emanating from government ministries, departments, and agencies. In short, the Executive Council dealt with a myriad of issues - as is evidenced by the volume, range, and diversity of the papers in this record group.

Since the cabinet is the executive arm of the government, it has the authority to enact regulations, as defined by the Regulations Act (RS 1979 c. 361), Regulations, so defined, include rules, orders, proclamations, and bylaws of a legislative nature, made under or by the authority of any act passed by the legislative assembly. Among the regulations are Orders-in-Council which are formally described as "official documents promulgating Government decisions concerned with the day-to-day operation of the Province. Researchers consulting GR-0444 should note that Orders-in-Council are made under the authority of the Lieutenant-Governor or, more precisely, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council. The latter implies the Lieutenant Governor acting by and with the advice of, or by and with the advice and consent or in conjunction with, the Executive Council" (Interpretation Act, RS 1979, c.206). Thus, the term "Lieutenant-Governor in Council" occurs frequently with reference to business conducted by what is otherwise known as the Executive Council, or cabinet.

British Columbia. Executive Council

Speeches by and addresses to colonial governors

  • GR-1717
  • Series
  • 1860-1865

Opening and closing speeches of Governors Douglas and Kennedy to the Legislative Council and House of Assembly of Vancouver Island, 1860-1864; closing speeches of Governor Seymour to the Legislative Council of British Columbia, 1865. Also addresses from the Legislative Council of British Columbia to Governor Douglas (1864) and Governor Seymour (1865).

British Columbia (Colony). Governor

Legislative Council records

  • GR-1531
  • Series
  • 1864-1868

This series contains messages to the Governor conveying resolutions of the Legislative Council.

British Columbia. Legislative Council

Executive Council meeting minutes

  • GR-1223
  • Series
  • 1864-1866

This series contains minutes of Executive Council meetings, Colony of Vancouver Island. The series contains 2 volumes each of which cover the periods 26 March 1864 - 27 June 1865 and 18 July 1865 - 19 November 1866.

Vancouver Island (Colony). Executive Council

Legislative Assembly records

  • GR-1533
  • Series
  • 1871-1893

This series contains drafts of bills, acts, ordinances and regulations.

British Columbia. Legislative Assembly

Lieutenant Governor's records

  • GR-0443
  • Series
  • 1871-1936

This series consists of papers of the Lieutenant-Governors of British Columbia. Includes transcripts of telegrams between Victoria and Ottawa, letterbook copies of official despatches outward (1871-1881), despatches inward from Governor General, Secretary of State, and Senior Naval Officer, Esquimalt (1871-1918), along with official correspondence from British Columbia government ministries and departments (1874-1919). Also includes miscellaneous, general, and semi- official correspondence inward, addresses, petitions, and memorials, (1872-1936). Records have been organized into five sub-series:

Letterbook copies of official correspondence outward (1896-1919) are on microfilm. Volume 5 (Feb - Dec 1902) and Volume 17 (1915) were missing at the time of filming. Date ranges correspond to the microfilm box labels.

Correspondence Inward: Despatches from the Canadian Government Secretary of State for the Provinces. Official correspondence from the Dominion of Canada to the Province of British Columbia. Files include minutes and reports of Privy Council, memoranda from the Colonial Secretary (London), and other government correspondence relating to British Columbia.

Miscellaneous correspondence inward. Variously entitled "All & Sundry", and "Tout le Monde", files include communications from Colonial Secretary (London) federal and provincial government officials, British consulates and embassies, and Lieutenant Governors of other provinces. Correspondence also includes petitions, memorials, and addresses, letters from private persons and circulars.

General Correspondence inward (I): Unlike volumes 58-65 above, general correspondence files include official despatches from Secretary of State, Ottawa, with official communications from BC government ministries and departments. Files include replies to correspondents.

General Correspondence (II) - Subject Files

British Columbia. Lieutenant Governor

Election records from Victoria

  • GR-1667
  • Series
  • 1871-1872

This series consists of poll-books, voters' lists, and correspondence relating to two landmark elections in British Columbia: the election of 1871 of representatives to the provincial legislature, and the election of 1872, called to elect provincial members to the Dominion House of Commons - respectively the first provincial election and the first federal election held in B.C. These records document B.C.'s last "open voting" elections (i.e. a secret ballot was not used). Compiled by A.F. Pemberton, Chief Returning Officer for Victoria, the records pertain to Victoria City, Victoria District, Esquimalt and Metchosin.

The election of 1871 was held in various parts of the province between October and December. It was conducted in accordance with the Colonial Election Regulation Act [34 Vic., No. 13, a statute which affirmed the practice of open voting (as opposed to the secret ballot). Thus, the poll books in this collection show the names of electors and the candidates for whom each elector voted. Voter's qualifications were determined by the colonial Qualification and Registration of Voters' Act [34 Vic., No. 156]. To qualify for the franchise, a voter had to be male, a loyal British subject, over twenty-one years of age, literate (at least able to write his name), and a resident in B.C. for no less than six months. In addition, qualified electors had to meet one of the following criteria: occupy premises with an annual rent of $40 or more; own freehold property having an assessed value of at least $250; have a pre-emption claim of 100 acres or more; possess a free-miners' license.

The Dominion election of 1872 was held under the authority of two federal statutes: the Interim Parliamentary Election Act of 1871 [34 Vic., c.20] and the Act to Re-adjust the Representation in the House of Commons, 1872 [35 Vic., c.13]. The first statute made provisions for holding a federal election in B.C.; the second confirmed the number of MPs to be elected from B.C. [6] and established federal electoral boundaries. 2 MPs were elected from the district of Victoria; 1 MP from the district of Vancouver (i.e. Vancouver Island north of Victoria and adjacent to the Gulf Islands); 1 MP for each of the districts of New Westminster, Yale, and Cariboo. Section 5 of the Interim Parliamentary Elections Act declared that the laws already in force in B.C. would apply to the election of 1872. Accordingly, polling for the province's first federal election was carried out under colonial legislation noted above. The Dominion election was also carried out in accordance with B.C.'s Corrupt Practices Prevention Act [34 Vic., No. 158], a colonial statute which stipulated that candidates had to declare all expenses incurred during their campaign. Hence the documents in Box 1, files 6 & 7 of this collection.

The records in GR-1667 relate solely to the Victoria electoral district. For elections to the provincial legislature, the riding included areas within the city's limits. Federally, however, the electoral district of Victoria embraced the City of Victoria and adjacent areas of Saanich (Victoria District), Esquimalt and Metchosin. A.F. Pemberton was the district's chief Returning Officer in both elections. In the provincial election -- held on 16 October 1871 -- Pemberton established the district polling station at the Police Barracks in Bastion Square. In the Dominion election -- held on 2 September 1872 -- he established six polling stations. The polls were open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Three candidates contested the two Victoria seats: Amor DeCosmos, Henry Nathan and Robert Beavan. DeCosmos, and Nathan were elected. The results of the election, and returns from each of the polling stations, were published in the Victoria Daily Colonist (3 Sep 1872).

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Lieutenant-Governor letters inward and speeches

  • GR-0049
  • Series
  • 1872-1878

The series consists of letters inward to the lieutenant governors of British Columbia from 1872 to 1878, enclosing copies of speeches made by the lieutenant governors of diverse provinces re: opening or closing legislative assemblies, or acknowledging receipt of same.

British Columbia. Lieutenant Governor

Speech from the Throne

  • GR-3346
  • Collection
  • 1872-1876; 1905; 1960-2023

The collection consists of an incomplete set of copies of the Speech from the Throne, created between 1872 and 2023. The collection was made by the BC Archives using copies of the speeches, including red-ribbon copies, drawn together from various government office sources.

The Speech from the Throne is given by the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia who addresses the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia at its opening and/or closing sessions. The speech outlines the executive government's plans at the start of each session of the Legislative Assembly and reviews the accomplishments of the government at the end of each session.

British Columbia. Lieutenant Governor

Correspondence of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

  • GR-1312
  • Series
  • 1873-1875

This series contains correspondence of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly [J. Roland Hett] from the period 12 November 1873 to 14 January 1875. The records are presented as letterbook copies in 1 volume.

British Columbia. Legislative Assembly. Office of the Clerk

Regulations and circulars

  • GR-0551
  • Series
  • 1873-1908

This series consists of miscellaneous regulations and circulars emanating principally from the Provincial Secretary's office, 1873-1904, 1908.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Provincial Secretary letterbooks

  • GR-0540
  • Series
  • 1873-1918

This series consists of 104 volumes of letter book copies of correspondence outward from the Provincial Secretary, 1873-1918. The index to correspondence missing.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Correspondence

  • GR-1305
  • Series
  • 1879-1896

This series comprises a volume of letter-book copies of correspondence from Lieutenant Governor A.N. Richards to the Senior Naval Officer, Esquimalt (3 January 1879 - 2 June 1881), along with schedule of despatches received by Lieutenant Governor Edgar Dewdney from the Senior Naval Officer (1893-1896). Volume to be used in conjunction with GR-0443, vol. 66.

British Columbia. Lieutenant Governor

Correspondence

  • GR-1306
  • Series
  • 1881

This series contains correspondence between Amor De Cosmos, as Special Agent to London, and others, respecting the Petition of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, to the Queen, on the subject of the Canadian Pacific Railway from March 22nd 1881 to August 31st 1881. The series includes a printed copy of B.C. legislature's petition to the Queen, along with a manuscript copy of the Canadian Pacific Railway memorandum on "Vancouver Island Railway," December 1881. De Cosmos' map showing CPR terminus at Port Moody, alienated railway land on Vancouver Island, proposed ferry routes, etc. were transferred to PABC Library & Maps Division under accession M889117.

British Columbia. Lieutenant Governor

Premier's records

  • GR-0441
  • Series
  • 1883-1933; predominantly 1883-1887, 1895-1933

The records in this unit consist primarily of correspondence, memoranda and indexes created and accumulated during the administrations of Premiers Smithe, Turner, Semlin, Martin, Dunsmuir, Prior, McBride, Bowser, Brewster, Oliver, MacLean and Tolmie (1893-1933). They also include a series of diaries of Premier Oliver, 1917-1927, scrapbooks, 1905-1941, and official addresses, programs and special items, 1951-1971.

Note that the records are not complete. There are, most notably, no records for A.E.B Davie, Theodore Davie or John Robson (1887-1895), but there are also records lacking for other administrations.

The records are broken down into fifteen series on the basis of the type and/or filing system of the documents. A change in government did not always result in a break in a series of records, with the result that several series span more than one administration.

The fifteen series are listed below. See each series description for more information about content.
SERIES I: Indexes and registers to correspondence inward 1895-1933
SERIES II: Official correspondence 1883-1915
SERIES III: Semi-official correspondence, 1907-1910
SERIES IV: Private correspondence, 1903-1915
SERIES V: Subject files, 1902-1915
SERIES VI: Correspondence 1915-1929
SERIES VII: Official correspondence, 1930-1933
SERIES VIII: Memoranda, 1917-1925
SERIES IX: Letterbooks (official), 1883-1916
SERIES X: Letterbooks (semi-official), 1907-1911
SERIES XI: Letterbooks (private), 1885-1904
SERIES XII: Letterbooks (personal), 1903
SERIES XIII: Diaries, 1917 - 1927
SERIES XIV: Clippings books, 1905-1941
SERIES XV: Official addresses, programs and special items

British Columbia. Premier

Circular letters

  • GR-0050
  • Series
  • 1887-1896

The series consists of circular letters to the Lieutenant Governors of British Columbia from 1887 to 1896, from the Under Secretary of State, Ottawa.

British Columbia. Lieutenant Governor

Correspondence and other material regarding oaths

  • GR-0586
  • Series
  • 1890-1972

This series consists of correspondence relating to the issuance of commissions to members of the Executive Council, to the oath of allegiance taken by cabinet ministers, and to royal toasts; index and registers of oaths of office and oaths of allegiance of members of the Executive Council.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Sessional clipping books

  • GR-1480
  • Series
  • 1891-1972

This series contains sessional clippings books of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The records consists of newspaper accounts of the debates, along with notices of motion, petitions, committee reports, etc. Volumes also contain editorials from major newspapers in New Westminster, Vancouver and Victoria.

British Columbia. Legislative Library

Correspondence inward

  • GR-1330
  • Series
  • 1892-1917

This series contains letters inward to the Department of the Provincial Secretary, 1892-1917. During the period covered by GR-1330 (1892-1917) the Provincial Secretary was variously responsible for the departments of Mines, Education and Immigration. Within these departments he was responsible for the Legislative Library and Archives, the Queen's Printer, the Bureau of Statistics, the Civil Service Commission, and various agencies concerned with health and social welfare. The multiplicity of his duties accounts for the range and diversity of the records in GR-1330.

Among the records are correspondence to, and from, the Lieutenant-Governor and the Executive Council, correspondence from Dominion officials concerning colonization and settlement, applications from organizations wishing to register under the Benevolent Societies Act, memoranda of association from businesses seeking to be incorporated under the provincial Companies Act, petitions from community groups requesting schools and improved municipal services, plus letters from private persons applying for appointments in the civil service. Also included are records arising from the administration of the provincial elections, hospitals, and asylums.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Correspondence and other material

  • GR-1197
  • Series
  • 1893-1897

This series contains official correspondence, reports, and related papers of Premier John H. Turner. Records include correspondence pertaining to provincial railway charters (1893-1897), agriculture, and mining; also includes B.C. Agent-General's Report (1895), applications for employment, and miscellaneous letters.

Papers in this series are those of the Honourable John Herbert Turner (1833-1923), premier of British Columbia from 4 March 1895 to 8 August 1898. Since Turner's administration was characterized by rapid industrial development (notably in railways, mining, and agriculture), and by no little political controversy, his official papers are especially valuable.

Most of the reports and correspondence in GR-1197 originated while Turner was the province's chief minister and, as such, they have been included in the archive's collection of Premier's Papers. As will be seen, though, some of the papers pertain to Turner's tenure as Minister of Finance and Agriculture, a portfolio he held from 1887 to 1898.

GR-1197 may be regarded as a supplement to GR-0441 (British Columbia - Premier: 1883-1933), Series II, volumes 2-13, which also contains official correspondence of Premier Turner. Researchers may find that Volume 354 of GR-0441 (Index to Official Correspondence, 1895-1897) will assist them in locating other related records.

British Columbia. Premier

Jim Ryan fonds

  • PR-2163
  • Fonds
  • 1908-1995

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.

Ryan, Jim, 1920-1998

Library correspondence

  • GR-0726
  • Series
  • 1910-1926

Correspondence between E.O.S. Scholefield and the B.C. Historical Association regarding publication of "Sixty Years of Progress", 1910-1914; correspondence with F.M. Rattenbury regarding the Library extension to the Legislative Buildings, 1911; correspondence on various topics, 1910-1918; and correspondence between John Hosie and R.E. Gosnell, 1926. Includes a memo for W.J. Bowser, Attorney General, on the "Triumphant Policy of the Provincial Government," 1903-1912. Records relate to the Legislative Library and Provincial Archives.

British Columbia. Legislative Library

Executive Council minute book

  • GR-1510
  • Series
  • 1916-1917

This series contains the minute book of the Executive Council for the period 29 November 1916 to 19 January 1917.

British Columbia. Executive Council

Premiers' papers

  • GR-1222
  • Series
  • 1917-1952

This series contains official reports and correspondence accumulated during the administrations of Premiers Tolmie, Pattullo, Hart, and Johnson. It includes Departmental, General, and Federal files, plus separate series of documents on Pacific Great Eastern Railway (1917-1945). It also includes applications for employment, petitions, press releases, speeches, and vouchers.

The records which comprise this unit were stored for many years in a maintenance shop adjacent to the Parliament Buildings. Storage conditions were less than ideal and in 1982 arrangements were made with the Premier's Office' to transfer the records to the Provincial Archives. It was a signal event, for the records provide documentation on virtually all facets of provincial life over a thirty-five year period. Additionally, the documents which make up GR-1222 provide a valuable record of the administrations of Premiers Tolmie (1928-1933), Pattullo (1933-1941), Hart (1941-1947) and Johnson (1947-1952). The records fall into three main categories or series, namely Departmental files, Federal files, and General files.

British Columbia. Premier

Correspondence and other material

  • GR-1195
  • Series
  • 1942-1947

The series contains correspondence files, principally to the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly. It includes a petition from the Khalsa Diwan Society, praying for enfranchisement of East Indians in British Columbia, 1945.

British Columbia. Legislative Assembly. Office of the Clerk

Ballots and other material

  • GR-0156
  • Series
  • 1945

The series consists of ballots (blank and marked) and general instructions on voting procedures, along with a list of returning officers for the 1945 general election.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

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