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Series consists of volume 2 of Ashcroft Supreme Court’s cause books. The volume covers cases 5/1917 to 3/1934 and includes information on divorces, probates and estate administration, adoption orders, and other civil cases. The volume also includes an alphabetical index.

The series consists of Ashcroft divorce case files from 1908 to 1945.

Series consists of civil orders and reasons for judgement from the Supreme Court, County Court of Cariboo, and Small Claims Court in Ashford. The records were housed in the Ashcroft registry and were in the custody of the Supreme Court at Ashcroft before being transferred to the BC Archives. The series includes divorce records interfiled with other court orders. Records from the various level of court are interfiled. The series includes a small number of records that were originally filed at the Kamloops registry before being transferred to Ashcroft.

The records were originally housed in Shannon files but were rehoused in folders.

The series consists of Barkerville divorce case files from 1939 to 1951.

The series consists of Chilliwack divorce case files from 1939 to 1949.

The series consists of orders and judgments created in Clinton County Court between 1972 and 1975. The series also consists of one index volume. The records include cases related to payment of wages, mechanic’s liens, and small claims. This volume also includes divorces. The series is covered by ORCS 51100-32 in Court Services schedule 100152.

Divorce cause books.

The series consists of civil orders from both the Supreme and County Courts of Cranbrook. The orders were created between 1955 and 1999. Records from the Supreme and County levels were interfiled together and are arranged by volume and folio number. Records in this series consist of adoption, divorce, probate, and other civil orders. In most cases, the orders have not been divided by type and are filed together. However, probate orders from 1973 to 1974 were split into their own files separate from the remainder of the orders. Civil orders represent the formal expression of the ruling of the court.

When the records originally arrived at the Archives, they were housed in shannon files that were based on volume number. For preservation purposes, the records have been removed from the shannon files and rehoused in acid-free folders. As the majority of the volumes were quite large, the contents of each shannon file has been divided between several acid-free folders.

Researchers should note that some volumes or portions of volumes were not transferred to the Archives, and their whereabouts are unknown.

The series consists of Cranbrook divorce case files from 1909 to 1949.

The series consists of civil orders and judgements from the Supreme Court of Creston. The records date from 1953 to 2001. Orders and judgements are interfiled, and the series also includes divorces. Although most divorces are interfiled, the series also includes one file of divorce orders that were either removed from their original volumes or were maintained separately.

The series consists of Cumberland divorce case files from 1937 to 1950.

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.

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 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 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.

Note: 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.

The orders are indexed by husband's name in GR-3254. Note that 1983 is incomplete; divorces with a registration number of 7501 or higher are not included.

The series consists of Duncan Supreme Court divorce case files from 1939, 1944-1948.

The series consists of original civil orders, judgements, and reasons for judgement created between 1978 and 2001 by the Fernie Supreme Court and County Court registry. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court, judgements are the final orders issued in a case, and reasons for judgement provide the court's rationale. The records relate to a variety of civil matters including divorces, bankruptcies, and some adoptions. In the later years of this series, adoptions were removed and filed separately.

From 1978 to August 1999, the records are arranged by volume and folio number as assigned by the court registry. Beginning September 1999, they are arranged chronologically. The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 51400-25.

The series consists of Fernie Supreme Court divorce case files from 1907 to 1951.

The series consists of orders from the Supreme Court in Fernie. The orders date from 1983 to 2002 and the series is largely composed of divorce orders. There is one folder of adoption orders and one of general court orders, which also includes orders related to probates and estates. Divorce orders were originally arranged by volume and folio number, but this system appears to have changed in 1999 and the records were subsequently arranged by filing date. Researchers should note that there is sometimes a gap between the date the order is issued and the date it is filed. Other orders appear to be arranged by filing date.

The series consists of civil orders created in the Supreme Court in Golden between 1960 and 1991. Orders are a formal expression of the court’s will, and orders in this series cover a variety of issues, including adoption, probate and divorce.

The series is arranged by volume, and then by folio according to filing date. Some folios may not be clearly labeled, may not be filed chronologically or may have duplicated folio numbers. Each folio is labeled with a coded registry number. Some additional documents may be interfiled with numbered folios, such as affidavits. There is only one partial index for volume 4 included.

The dates listed in the file list are derived from the date on which the order was filed. Although the filing date for the majority of the records corresponds closely to when the order was issued, this is not always the case, and there are instances in which orders were filed months after being issued.

Originally the files were arranged in Shannon files based on volume number. For space and preservation reasons, the records have been placed in acid-free folders. Each volume was split into multiple folders, which are linked by volume number.

The series consists of Grand Forks Supreme Court divorce case files from 1923 to 1946.

The series consists of indexes to copies of divorce orders submitted to the Division of Vital Statistics and its predecessor, the Vital Statistics Branch.

The indexes consist of computer printouts arranged alphabetically by surname of husband. Prior to 1976 the indexes cover groups of years. From 1977 to 1983 they are annual. A consolidated index covering 1901-1977 was also created. Divorce orders 1501-1582 (1962) were omitted from the 1935-1962 index and a separate index was created by BC Archives staff.

The index entries prior to April 1935 are based on a card index maintained by the Inspector of Legal Offices of actions commenced in divorce and matrimonial proceedings. The index was turned over to the Vital Statistics Division in 1946 which incorporated "certain entries" into its index. The cards were assigned volume number 999, "indicating that the entry referred to an index card only, and not to a copy of a decree." Accordingly, any index entries prior to April 1935 do not necessarily indicate the completion of a divorce action.

Further information about these divorce actions may be found in the court records of the registry where the action was commenced. If an action was commenced prior to April 1935 but a decree was granted after that date, the volume 999 entry was replaced with the Vital Statistics volume and record number. (See "Explanation of Entries in Divorce Index", GR-3255, B16263.) Not all pre-1935 divorces appear to have been included. If a name is not found, the individual court registry records should be checked. Each entry includes full name of husband and wife, place of divorce, date of final order, and Vital Statistics volume and record, or registration, number.

These indexes can also be used to identify court registry and final order date which can be used to assist in locating divorce orders within the court record series. Please note that for index entries prior to April 1935 only Victoria divorce orders appear in GR-3255. The others can be located in the individual court registry records. As well, any 1983 divorce orders with a registration number of 7501 or higher are not included in GR-3255 but can be found in the records of the court registries.

The series consists of original divorce orders, judgements and reasons for judgements created between 1981 and 2001 by the Kamloops Supreme Court registry. Between 1968 and 1985, a judgement by way of decree nisi required a three-month waiting period before a judgement by way of decree absolute could be applied for. During this time, a divorce was not legally in effect without a decree absolute. After 1985, divorce orders automatically came into effect 31 days after the divorce was granted, barring an appeal. Reasons for judgment are available for some, but not all, divorces.

Between 1981-1985, the records are arranged by file number and there may be several records with the same file number grouped together, each with different entered dates. The years listed in the attached finding aid appear to be based on the date that a divorce was first initiated, but this is not verifiable or consistent across the recrods. Starting in late 1985, the records are arranged by volume and file number, and dates used in the finding aid are the court registry’s entered date. Reasons for judgement from 1991-2001 have been arranged separately, by file number, within box 27. A nominal finding aid for only those reasons for judgement is available at the end of the attached file list. The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 51440-25.

The series consists of Kelowna divorce case files from 1924 to 1949.

The series consists of original decrees nisi, decrees absolute, and divorce orders created between 1977 and 1996 (predominantly between 1977-1986) by the Kelowna Supreme Court registry. Between 1968 and 1985, a judgement by way of decree nisi required a three-month waiting period before a judgement by way of decree absolute could be applied for. During this time, a divorce was not legally in effect without a decree absolute. After 1985, divorce orders automatically came into effect 31 days after the divorce was granted, barring an appeal.

Decrees nisi and decrees absolute are filed together and arranged by case number, not by volume and folio or by date. This means that records of varying dates are interfiled. Orders transferred to the Kelowna registry from other court registries within the province were not assigned a Kelowna case file number and are filed alphabetically by last name at the end of this series. The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 51440-25.

The series consists of family orders created in the Supreme Court in Kimberley between 1982 and 1985 under the Family Relations Act. Orders are a formal expression of the court’s will. Each order relates to one divorce proceeding and is numbered chronologically by year of filing date. Orders may be filed months after being issued.

The series consists of case record cards for divorces in the Merritt Supreme Court between 1978 and 1986. The case cards can be used to find a court order entry date, which may be used to locate a copy of the final divorce order. Case record cards often provide the only remaining evidence of a case if it was abandoned or dismissed and no order was issued.

Case record cards are arranged by case number. They were used by the courts from approximately the mid 1970s until the courts turned to digital systems in the 1990s. Case card entries typically include the date of filing, the date and place of marriage, the names of the parties and their solicitors, and an account of the case proceedings. They were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

Series consists of typed minutes recording the thirteenth British Columbia Conference of the United Church of Canada held in 1954, through to the thirty-fourth conference held in 1958. As well as the regular minutes of conferences, this series includes appendices which contain special reports to Conference of secular and ecclesiastical items of contemporary interest.

This accession consists of the typewritten minutes and appendices for the British Columbia Conferences of the United Church of Canada from the Thirtieth Conference in 1954 to the Thirty-Fourth Conference in 1958. The Thirtieth Conference minutes also can be found in MS-2693. The appendices contain the complete reports submitted to Conference, often reflecting the Church's concern with secular societal problems such as unemployment, alcoholism and liquor abuse and nuclear energy. The minutes of the Thirty-Fourth Conference in 1958 have no appendix but the Report of the Executive acts in its stead.

Obituaries of clergy are found in the appendices by year.

Series consists of three divorce case files from the Nanaimo Supreme Court from 1900 and 1912.

The series consists of Nelson divorce case files from 1931 to 1948.

The series consists of 8 volumes of divorce cause books created by the New Westminster Supreme Court between 1968 and 1977. The cause books are arranged chronologically, and cases are assigned a number in the cause book. Cause book entries generally consist of the names of the parties, their solicitors, a list of the proceedings, and a volume and folio number which can be used to obtain a copy of the divorce order. Cause books are a particularly valuable source of information, as they list proceedings for divorce trials that were ultimately dismissed or abandoned. In these instances, the only surviving evidence that the case took place is found in the divorce cause books, as no final order would have been issued.

The series consists of seven small volumes of indexes to divorce trial record books created in the New Westminster Supreme Court registry between 1967 and 1974. The indexes provide a number which can be used to locate the corresponding divorce trial record in the appropriate book. Trial books are arranged by this number in reverse order, with the earlier numbers found at the back of the book. Numbers were continuous across volumes and do not reset to 1.

It is unclear whether these indexes were originally tucked inside the trial record books, or if they were maintained separately as a manual indexing system.

The series consists of six volumes of divorce trial record books created by the New Westminster Supreme Court between 1957 and 1977. The books are arranged in a similar manner to divorce cause books, but list the Central Divorce Registry file number rather than a volume and folio number. Divorce trial books also provide a list of exhibits used in the case, and the names of individuals who provided affidavits.

Similar to cause books, trial books provide evidence of divorce proceedings that may later have been abandoned or dismissed, thereby not resulting in a divorce order. In these cases, the trial record book and cause book may be the only evidence that still exists of such cases.

Records in the trial books are arranged chronologically from the back of the volume to the front, and are assigned a four-digit number in addition to the number provided by the Central Divorce Registry. Please see GR-3748 for alphabetical indexes to these volumes.

Researchers should note that the volumes were frequently referred to as "Divorce and Matrimonial Causes record books." This is in reference to legislation which governed divorces in BC until 1972, and does not refer to the type of court record known as a cause book.