シリーズ GR-1812 - Surveyor General correspondence outward

The Surveys Branch was created as a unit of the Department of Lands in 1911. The branch took over surveying functions previously the responsibility of the Surveys Branch of the Department of Lands and Works (1871-1908). The branch was known as the Surveyor-General’s Department between 1911 and 1914, as the Surveys Branch between 1914 and 1949, as the Surveys and Mapping Service between 1949 and 1951, and as the Surveys and Mapping Branch between 1951 and 1975.

The branch was responsible for surveying Crown lands; collecting data from surveys of Crown lands done by private surveyors in support of applications for land pre-emptions, timber, mining, and water rights licenses and/or leases; compiling various types of reference maps for the use of the Department of Lands; and, providing public access to maps created by the branch.

The Surveys and Mapping Branch’s divisions were as follows:
1912-1919
Geographic Branch (though it was called a branch, this was a subordinate unit)

1919-1929
Surveys Division
Geographic Division
General Staff

1929-1949
Surveys Division
Geographic Division
Topographic Division

1949-1973
Legal Surveys Division
Geographic Division
Topographic Division
Air Surveys Division
Administration

1973-1975
Legal Surveys
Field Operations
Map Production Division
Administration

Chief Officers of the Surveys and Mapping Branch:
1908-1912 E.B. McKay
1912-1917 G.H. Dawson
1917-1930 J.E. Umbach
1930-1946 F.C. Green
1946-1950 N.C. Stewart
1950-1951 F.O. Morris
1951-1968 G.S. Andrews
1968-1975 A.H. Ralfs