Series MS-3123 - Technical drawings, plans and maps

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Technical drawings, plans and maps

General material designation

  • technical drawing
  • architectural drawing
  • cartographic material
  • textual record

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Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the series

Level of description

Series

Reference code

MS-3123

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • [ca. 1905-1980] (Creation)

Physical description area

Physical description

ca. 8000 technical drawings, architectural drawings and maps

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

Custodial history

Scope and content

The series consists of technical and engineering drawings and diagrams, architectural drawings, and various cartographic materials including maps (mainly unpublished) and site plans. In smaller numbers, there are records which are neither drawings nor cartographic materials; for example, there are charts of recorded data, and a schematic flow sheet of the Bamberton cement plant manufacturing process. The file classification system dating from the 1940s is also represented in an oversized, format on blueprint paper. These various types of records are interfiled, that is, not distinguished from each other in the way they were originally ordered by the creators of the records.

Technical and engineering drawings (the predominant type) are plans for the plant and its equipment, either produced by the B.C. Cement Company, the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers Ltd., or by companies which manufactured the machines and equipment. Cartographic records include published and unpublished maps, rough diagrams, survey maps, and subdivision plans. These include maps of the Bamberton industrial site and residential area, watercourses, reservoirs and the water supply area of the region, and include early maps of the Malahat area in the vicinity of Bamberton. The records include general maps and specialized mineral deposits maps for areas including Horne Lake, Cobble Hill and Texada Island. Site plans include facilities such as Bamberton port facility and an insurance plan for Bamberton Works. The series includes architectural drawings for proposed buildings and structures and a plan for Robert Butcharts' residence at Tod Inlet.

Many of the maps and plans are potentially of high value to researchers for the geological, environmental, and historical information they contain.

Most, though not all of the records were assigned a sequential number, with the prefix “MAL.” A small number of the records were labelled “TI.” The meaning of these prefixes is not given in the records; however, “TI” almost certainly refers to “Tod Inlet.” It is possible that “MAL” indicated “Malahat,” and that these two codes indicated the two different locations of the company operations. Some drawings that were first given the “TI” prefix may have later been given the “MAL” prefix. For example, a drawing apparently used as an insurance plan for Tod Inlet dated 1916 was apparently first TI 101 and was later changed to MAL 272B. Later records use the year as the first part of the sequential number.

There is no complete and comprehensive inventory or index to the drawings and maps. Inventories that exist are as follows: staff in the Modern History department of the Provincial Museum [ca.1985] created an index; however, not all the records were catalogued, and it is not comprehensive for the sequence it covers (from MAL 101 to MAL 4034). The electronic version of that inventory no longer exists. The hard copy is available (see the file “Partial index to drawings” in container 907976-0700. Series MS-3117 includes several volumes which are registers and indexes, however, none are comprehensive. Two drawing register books list technical drawings and plans made or received by the company. Possibly created in the 1960s, they include technical drawings and plans which date back to the early 20th century. Drawing Register Volume 2 includes a detailed scope note in the front of the volume which explains the drawing numbering system, the register system and the filing system. This scope note also reads “This register lists drawings made or received from 1960 onwards.”

Series MS-3117 also includes three volumes originally titled “Bamberton Process - Books No. 1, 2, 3.” These books apparently served as subject indexes to the drawings and plans, and consist of small reproductions of the original full-sized drawings. The volumes are organized with tabs which are labelled with a wide range of subjects such as: “Electrical,” “Piping -- General,” “Heat & Ventilation.”

The arrangement of the records and their physical location was determined by two facts: (1) there are two different physical formats (flat and folded) and (2) some records were indexed and some were not. For this reason, the records are in three different groups. (1) ca. 2200 technical drawings and cartographic records which were processed and indexed at the Provincial Museum ca. 1985 (as noted above). With partial index. (2) ca. 1500 technical drawings and cartographic records, flattened. No inventory available. (3) ca. 4000 technical drawings and cartographic records, folded. Arranged by their original numbering system, they range from MAL 163 to MAL 74-020, although this sequence is not comprehensive. No index or inventory available.

Note that drawings are not only found in this series, also are commonly found as forming part of a file in other series in the fonds.

Notes area

Physical condition

Some of the technical drawings and cartographic materials are torn or fragile and can not be handled without severe damage

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Language of material

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

Contact BC Archives to determine the access status due to conservation concerns regarding fragile records

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Associated materials

Related materials

Accruals

General note

Partial index to drawings in container 907976-0700.

General note

Accession number(s): 2013.166; 2013.166.1

Alternative identifier(s)

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