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Archival description
Only top-level descriptions Land settlement--British Columbia
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Allowed applications to purchase unsurveyed land

  • GR-4265
  • Series
  • 1910-1913

This series consists of one register documenting applications to purchase unsurveyed Crown land. Information includes the date a notice was posted in the government gazette, the name of the applicant, the amount of acreage applied for, the district, location of the acreage, and a remarks column documenting whether or not the application was successful and any Dept. of Lands correspondence numbers relevant to the application. The register covers all areas of the province. There is an applicant name index in each register. Note that the volume also includes cancelled or disallowed entries.

This item is volume 2 and covers 1910-1913. Volume 1 is item GR-1069.II.136 and covers 1906-1910.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Applications to purchase Crown Lands

  • GR-0084
  • Series
  • 1905-1970

The series consists of 25 volumes of applications to purchase crown land created by the Lands Dept. between 1905 and 1970. The applications are arranged chronologically from application number 1681 to 46249 and include notices from the British Columbia Gazette, number of letter inward, application number, location and result. Each volumes contains a nominal index. Volumes 1 and 2 are missing.

British Columbia. Lands Service

Appraisal reports of reverted government lands

  • GR-2610
  • Series
  • 1930

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands in 1930. It contains a volume of Coast Land Districts, Range 4 and Range 5 appraisal reports of reverted government lands within Tps. 2-4, Range 4 and Tps. 10-13, 19,20, Range 5. The reports are arranged numerically within each land district. Information may include assessment district, land registry office, legal description, date of forfeiture, plan number, acreage, suitability, improvements, soil, water supply, irrigation or dyking, accessibility, nearest settlement or Post Office, nearest school, topography, and assessed and appraised value. The report usually includes a coloured sketch map of the property. The two sections are indexed by report numbers to the legal land description.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Atlin lot registers

  • GR-2600
  • Series
  • 1899-1948

This series consists of Cassiar Land District subdivision lot registers for Atlin. Records dated 1899-1947. The registers list lots in numerical order by block and lot numbers, and record the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchase). Information may include the name of the purchaser, dates and numbers of certificates issued (including Crown Grants), dates and amounts of payments, and references to correspondence files. Upset prices are also listed.

The series consists of two volumes

  1. Atlin townsite (includes alphabetical name index), 1899-1948
  2. Atlin townsite, and additional, 1910-1947

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Cariboo Land District lot registers

  • GR-2591
  • Series
  • 1862-1922

This series consists of Cariboo Land District lot registers, or land registers. The volumes cover lots 1-10026. The earliest entries start in 1862 and the volumes were superseded by 1922 (i.e. no further entries were made after 1922). The registers that supersede this series may be found in GR-2592.

The registers list lots in numerical order 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 each volume.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Cariboo Land District township register

  • GR-2593
  • Series
  • 1913-1956

This series consists of one Cariboo Land District township register, for Townships 21 and 39-42.The earliest entries begin in 1913 and the volume was superseded by 1956 (i.e. no further entries were made after 1956). 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 the volume.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Cariboo Lands District lot registers

  • GR-2592
  • Series
  • 1890-1951

This series consists of Cariboo Land District, lot registers, or land registers. The volumes cover lots 1-11700. The earliest entries start in 1890 and all volumes were superceded by 1951 (i.e. no further entries were made after 1951). The volumes in this series superceded the earlier volumes found in GR-2591.

The registers list lots in numerical order 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 index of names in each volume.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Cariboo lot registers

  • GR-2594
  • Series
  • 1914-1949

This series consists of Cariboo Land District lot registers. This includes subdivision lot registers for Fort George, Summit Lake, Red Pass, and a McBride townsite register with a list of reverted lots offered for sale by public auction in 1923. Earliest entries dated 1914 and all volumes were superseded by 1949 (i.e. no further entries were made after 1949).

The registers list lots in numerical order and record the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchase, auction, etc.). Information may include name of purchaser, dates and numbers of certificates issued (including Crown Grants), dates and amounts of payments, and references to correspondence files and field books. Upset prices are also listed. There is an alphabetical name index in each volume.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Certificates of Improvement

  • GR-0211
  • Series
  • 1869-1932

The series consists of certificates of improvement [13 vols.] for diverse land recording districts created by the Lands Branch between 1869 and 1932. They generally include declarations by pre-emptors concerning the nature and valuation of improvements. Volume 14 contains unused, tripartite certificate of improvement forms.

Volumes 1-3 and 6-13 contain an index to names. Volume 4 is missing.

British Columbia. Lands Branch

Certificates of purchase

  • GR-1521
  • Series
  • 1859-1944

This series contains acknowledgements of moneys received by the Lands Department pursuant to the pre-emption or sale of crown land. These certificates of purchase include district, legal description of land, acreage, date and terms of payment, name of payer, pre-emption record number, certificate of improvement number, crown grant number and departmental file numbers. The certificates are divided into four series.

SERIES 1. CERTIFICATES OF PURCHASE BY LAND DISTRICT, 1859-1913. Volumes have alphabetical indexes.
SERIES 2. CERTIFICATES OF PURCHASE, 1874-1890. TOWN LOTS AND MISCELLANEOUS DISTRICT CERTIFICATES. Volumes have alphabetical indexes.
SERIES 3. CERTIFICATES OF PURCHASE, SERIES 4. CERTIFICATES OF PURCHASE, 1907-1944. Vancouver Island certificate books.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Certificates of sale

  • GR-2601
  • Series
  • 1910

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands in 1910. It contains a volume of Cassiar Land District certificates of sale for Stewart townsite, lots 1-232, subdivided from District Lots 466 and 468. Information in the certificates may include the date of sale, name and address of highest bidder, amount bid, deposit, and terms of sale. The certificates are arranged randomly and no index is available.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works correspondence inward

  • GR-0868
  • Series
  • 1871-1883

This series consists of letters inward to the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, 1871-1883. Letters are arranged by file number. These letters were selected for transfer to the archives in 1937 and therefore do not appear on the microfilms of Lands letters inward that were made later.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Coast Land District, Range 1 lot registers

  • GR-2602
  • Series
  • 1882-1923

The series consists records created by the Department of Lands between 1882 and 1923. It contains Coast Land District, Range 1 lot registers in two volumes: lots 1-721 in vol. 1 and lots 722-1493 in vol. 2. The registers list the lots in numerical order and record the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchaser, 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 notes. There is an alphabetical name index in each volume.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Coast Land District, Range 2 lot register

  • GR-2603
  • Series
  • 1882-1923

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1882 and 1923. It contains a Coast Land District, Range 2 lot register for lots 1-693. The register lists the lots in numerical order and records the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchaser, 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. The volume contains an alphabetical name index.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Coast Land District, Range 3 lot register

  • GR-2604
  • Series
  • 1888-1953

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1888 and 1953. It contains a Coast Land District, Range 3 lot register, covering lots 1-720. The register lists the lots in numerical order and records the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchaser, 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. The volume contains an alphabetical name index.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Coast Land District, Range 4 lot registers

  • GR-2605
  • Series
  • 1889-1927

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1889 and 1951. It contains six Coast Land District, Range 4 lot registers covering lots 1-2956. The registers list the lots in numerical order and record the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchaser, 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 each volume.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Coast Land District, Range 5 certificates of sale

  • GR-2608
  • Series
  • 1911-1912

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1911 and 1912. It contains two volumes of Coast Land District, Range 5 certificates of sale for South Hazelton. The lots were subdivided from District Lot 851 and are arranged by sale randomly within each volume. Information may include date of sale, name and address of highest bidder and amount bid, deposit, and terms of sale. Also included is a summary of lots within Blocks 1-98, dated Dec. 6, 1912. No index is available.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Coast Land District, Range 5 lot registers

  • GR-2606
  • Series
  • 1873-1923

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1873 and 1923. It contains 14 Coast Land District, Range 5 lot registers covering lots 1-7008. The registers list lots in numerical order and record the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchaser, 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.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Coast Land District, Range 5 lot registers

  • GR-2609
  • Series
  • 1919-1923

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1919 and 1923. It contains two volumes of Coast Land District, Range 5, subdivision lot registers for Smithers. The records are arranged numerically by lots within blocks, and record the alienation of land from the Crown. Information may include the name of 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 index of names in volume 1.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Coast Land District, Range 5 township register

  • GR-2607
  • Series
  • 1894-1947

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1894 and 1947. It contains a Coast Land District, Range 5, township register, covering Tp. 7-12. The land is listed numerically by sections within Townships, and records 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. Also included is the Vanderhoof townsite. The volume contains an alphabetical name index.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

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

Correspondence files with regard to Crown lands

  • GR-1440
  • Series
  • 1872-1918

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

British Columbia. Lands Branch

Correspondence index to lands files

  • GR-0993
  • Series
  • 1980

The series consists of indexes to correspondence files relating to the administration of Crown lands and natural resources. The records were created in 1980 from a computer print-out of various departmental indexes and includes references to files created by various branches of the Dept. of Lands and Works (1872-1908), the Dept. of Lands (1908-1945), the Dept. of Lands and Forests (1945-1962), the Dept. of Lands, Forest and Water Resources (1962-1975) and the Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing. It provides access to active, microfilmed and obsolete O series files and pre-1918 files.

The records consist of one subject index and two lists which can be used to identify and locate Lands Correspondence files. They are not comprehensive, as they do not cover all the correspondence files created between 1871 and 1986.

The index and lists may be used to locate a file number for a subject area of interest, or to determine the subject of a file when only the number of the file is known.

Note that a listing in these documents does not necessarily mean that the file is held at the BC Archives. Many active files remain with the Crown Land Registry.

British Columbia. Surveys and Land Records Branch

Correspondence outward

  • GR-2900
  • Series
  • 1859-1872

Correspondence outward (original letter-book copies), 1859-1871. 12 volumes. The series consists of letter book copies of general correspondence, correspondence to Governor and Colonial Secetary, and correspondence to the Treasury. (The series also contains, in vols. 6 and 10, some letters produced by the Provincial Dept. of Lands and Works, 1871-1872).

Volumes 1-6 are general letter books, Volumes 7 to 11 are Governors' letter books and Volume 12 is correspondence outward to Treasury.

British Columbia (Colony). Lands and Works Dept.

Correspondence, memoranda and reports of the Chairman

  • GR-0900
  • Series
  • 1942-1943

This series consists of the records of the Inter-Departmental Advisory Committee on Agriculture Land Settlement, 1942-1943. Records include correspondence, memoranda and reports of the Chairman of the Land Settlement Board, William Turnbull, relating to his activities as chairman of the Interdepartmental Advisory Committee on Agriculture and Land Settlement established by the Post-War Rehabilitation Council. The Council had the task of planning civil employment and vocational training of veterans of World War II.

British Columbia. Inter-Departmental Advisory Committee on Agriculture Land Settlement

Crown land auctioneers agreements

  • GR-3140
  • Series
  • 1899-1914

Auctioneer agreements with private persons concerning the purchase of Crown lands at Atlin, Hastings, Hedley, Kootenay Valley, Lockhart Beach, McBride, New Westminster District, Point Grey, Quesnel and Tulameen. Each agreement is recorded on a form with location, date, purchaser, price, etc. Many agreements have various attachments such as receipts and correspondence. Microfilm (neg.) 1899-1914 16 mm (1 reel) [B14434] The series consists of auctioneers' agreements with private persons concerning the purchase at auction of Crown lands at town sites in Atlin, Hastings, Hedley, Kootenay Valley, Lockhart Beach, McBride, New Westminster District (lot 2027), Point Grey, Quesnel, and Tulameen. The records are arranged according to auction site and date, and then by registration number. Registrations of the land sale transactions usually occurred on the auction date or in the subsequent few days, but some were recorded up to four years afterwards. All extant records in the series previously held by Crown Land Registry Services have been transferred to the Archives. Series title based on contents of series. Also known as auctioneers' agreements. Microfilmed in 2000 by the Genealogical Society of Utah. Records were removed from bound volumes when microfilmed. For the original bound arrangement of the records, see Original Bound Volumes List below.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Crown land grant indexes

  • GR-3096
  • Series
  • 1869-1930

Indexes to and registers of colonial and provincial crown land grants. Excludes crown land grants (letters patent) issued by the federal government for the Railway Belt and Peace River Block lands, 1885-1930. See GR-0436 for more information about Dominion land grants.

While crown land grants were issued from 1857 on, no comprehensive indexes were compiled before 1869. Copies of the crown grants and related documents can be found in GR-3097 and GR-3139. The indexes are recorded in bound volumes, each containing an alphabetical index to one or more annual volumes of crown land grant registers. The arrangement and content of the indexes has evolved over time.

From 1869 until 1912, each index volume consists of two sections. The first section is an alphabetical listing of surnames of grantees and of lots (in cases where a lot was given a name, for example "Copper King" ), with corresponding lot registration numbers. The second section, arranged by registration number, records additional information used for tracking the crown grant registration process. From 1869 until 1901, each index volume spans two or more years of grants. From 1902 onward, each index volume corresponds to one calendar year of registrations. Starting in 1908 (overlapping with the earlier indexing system for five years), a new indexing system was implemented and at first entitled "General Index to Crown Grants." These indexes consist of only one section, organized alphabetically by the first letter of the grantee's surname. Within each letter section, grants are recorded in order by date of registration. The first volume of the General Index includes grantees from 1908 to 1911; the second volume covers 1912. From 1913 on, when the first indexing system was discontinued, each index volume corresponds to a calendar year of registrations.

The following information is recorded in the indexes: district name, grant number and name, grantee name, amount charged for the grant, date of the grant, surveyed designation, acreage, how the land was acquired (including the method of purchase, such as at auction or by pre-emption, or the type of grant, such as mineral claim or returning soldier homestead) assessment district, surveyed designation, and location. An online index to crown grants issued between 1860 and 1930 is available at http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/gator/crowngrantsearchrequest.do. Note that the online index is incomplete.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Crown land grants

  • GR-3139
  • Series
  • 1851-1878

The Crown land grants in this series have been recorded in registers covering particular districts or towns. Those registered after 1869 overlap with a centrally registered series of Crown land grants (GR-3097,1869-1930). Included in this series is an indexed volume of Hudson's Bay Company deeds to lands on southern Vancouver Island granted between 1851 and 1858.

Records from 1860-1878 have been indexed in the Historic Crown Grants database (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/gator/crowngrantsearchrequest.do). Unlike the records in GR-3097, no volume or grant number is provided, only a reel number.

Crown land grants in this series are documented with a land grant registration form and, in many cases, related records. Most of the forms originally consisted of "a" and "b" parts; the latter was given to the grantee, and the former (a long, narrow "counterfoil" ) was kept by the government. These counterfoil records describe the sale or transfer of specific parcels of Crown land; some also describe the terms and conditions governing these transactions. Some counterfoils contain very little information. Registration forms generally document the following: registration number; grantee name; location, acreage, and lot number of the land; and the amount paid. Registration dates are in most cases distinguished on the forms from the dates land was initially acquired; this reflects the fact that purchase of land may not have been finalized until months or years afterwards, when all required improvements had been made. In rare cases, no registration or acquisition date is recorded. Attachments (usually glued to the relevant counterfoil) include sketches of land, applications for Crown grants, receipts, certificates of purchase and title, conveyances recording sale of granted land to other persons, state of title forms, court documents, and related correspondence and other documentation.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Crown land grants

  • GR-3097
  • Series
  • 1869-1930

This series consists of crown land grant files for BC crown land grants issued from December 1869 - when all such grants have been centrally registered, regardless of location or type - to 1930. They are arranged by volume and registration number. Earlier registrations, organized by district or town and not centrally indexed, are found in GR-3139.

Crown land grants are issued when land owned by the government is conveyed to private persons and organizations under the authority of the senior official responsible for Crown lands.

Several different types of grants are inter-filed in the Crown land grant series. Under a process known as "pre-emption" (which continued 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, satisfied residency requirements, and had the lands fully surveyed. Other types of grants have included those for the purposes of mineral claims, town lots, mill sites, schools, returning soldiers' homesteads, and railway rights-of-way.

Each Crown land grant is documented in this series with a land grant registration form and related records. These records describe the sale or transfer of specific parcels of Crown land and the terms and conditions governing these transactions. During the period covered by these records, each registration form documents the following: registration number; grantee name; location, acreage, and lot number of the land; and the amount paid. Attachments include sketches of land lots, applications for Crown grants, receipts for land and fees, certificates of purchase, and related documentation.

Alphabetical indexes for these files are found in GR-3096. An online index, albeit incomplete, is available at: http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/gator/crowngrantsearchrequest.do.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Crown land pre-emption records

  • GR-0112
  • Series
  • 1859-1971

The series consists of pre-emption records created by the Lands Branch and its predecessor bodies between 1859 and 1971. The Chief Commissioner of Lands was responsible for the administration of Crown lands under successive governments (Colony of Vancouver Island, Colony of British Columbia, Province of British Columbia) until 1911. In 1929 the Minister delegated authority for Crown lands to the Lands Branch, headed by the Superintendent of Lands.

The series includes 216 volumes of certificates of pre-emption and 33 volumes of pre-emption registers. Some volumes contain certificates of Improvement and certificates of purchase.

Most of the volumes of certificates are arranged by district and then numerically by pre-emption number although there are many cases where individual documents from files are spread out throughout an entire volume. There are also some pre-emption numbers that are missing from volumes. One or more volumes cover the pre-emption registrations for each land district, and volumes 86-90 and 246-248 relate to railway lands on Vancouver Island, particularly in Cowichan and Nanaimo Districts (1884-1887). Pre-emptions were generally numbered sequentially based on the Land Act enforced at the time. Sequences can be found in the collection based on the Land Acts of 1860, 1870, 1874, 1875 and 1884. The New Westminster land district also includes a sequence based on rural or country land pre-emptions. Some land districts maintained the same numbering sequence throughout the entire time period. If no date is mentioned in the description, the sequence is based on the 1884 Act.

The pre-emption registers (volumes 213-245; microfilm reels B13858-B13860) summarize the information from the certificates. Each volume covers the pre-emption registrations for a district. The pre-emption registers are arranged in Lands Branch volume number order, volumes 1-27 (including three a volumes where two volumes are required for a district), followed by three unnumbered volumes that cover Fort St. John and Victoria. Each register lists pre-emptions in registration number order, with an alphabetical index of pre-emptors' names at the back. The following information is recorded: registration number, date of registration, pre-emptors name, lot number (not always recorded), acreage (for ca. 1915 on), certificate of improvement number (if issued), file number (sometimes), and remarks (either a code number, possibly accompanied by a date, or a phrase: cancelled, abandoned, or no application or declaration received). This information is hand-written in columns with printed headings.

British Columbia. Lands Branch

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