Series MS-0520 - Records relating to baptisms, marriages and burials

The series consists of copies of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials kept at Fort Vancouver, Fort Victoria, Fort Langley, and the Parish of Victoria. The original dates of the records are 1836 to 1886 while the photocopies and transcripts were probably made around 1950.

The first mission of the Church of England on the northwest coast of North America was established by Rev. Herbert Beaver when he arrived at Fort Vancouver, the Pacific Headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, in May 1837. With the establishment of Fort Victoria, the Hudson's Bay Company employed Rev. Robert John Staines to replace Rev. Beaver who had resigned his Fort Vancouver post in 1838. Staines arrived in 1849 and initiated construction of Victoria's District Church in 1853. Unhappy with the company's land policies, Staines sailed for England in 1854 carrying the grievances of other settlers. His ship foundered and Staines perished. His replacement was Edward Cridge who arrived at Fort Victoria on 1 April 1855. With the issuance of an ordinance by Governor Douglas "establishing regulations for the arrangement of the affairs of the Colonial Church" Cridge could hold his first regular services in August 1856. An endowment of £25,000 from Baroness Burdett-Coutts provided for the establishment of the Diocese of British Columbia and on 12 January 1859 Letters Patent were issued creating a Bishopric and appointing Rev. George Hills as Bishop. His church was consecrated on 7 December 1865 and Edward Cridge was appointed Dean. In September 1869 the Cathedral was destroyed by fire to be replaced by a second wooden structure consecrated on 5 December 1872. This was replaced with the existing stone cathedral consecrated 28 September 1929.