Series GR-0046 - North Saanich Council minute books and Provincial Police daily diary

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

North Saanich Council minute books and Provincial Police daily diary

General material designation

  • textual record

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

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

Level of description

Series

Reference code

GR-0046

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)

  • 1906-1911, 1913-1915 (Creation)
    Creator
    North Saanich (B.C. : Municipality)

Physical description area

Physical description

7 cm of textual records

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

(1965-)

Administrative history

The current District of North Saanich was incorporated in 1965. However, an earlier version of the district, which included the townsite of Sidney, was in existence from 1905 to 1911.

Name of creator

(1871-1950)

Biographical history

The British Columbia Provincial Police Force was established in 1871 under its first name, the British Columbia Constabulary. Prior to that, policing in the Colony of British Columbia was the responsibility of the Chief Inspector of Police (1858-1863) or Superintendent of Police (1863-1871) and in the Colony of Vancouver Island by the Commissioner of Police (1858-1866).

In 1871, when the Colony of British Columbia joined confederation as a province of the Dominion of Canada, the police came under the authority of the Attorney-General. The reporting structure required the Superintendent of Police to report to the Attorney-General. Supervision of Police Constables throughout the province was divided between the Government Agent of the district and the Superintendent.

Since before confederation, there was often a large amount of overlap between duties of constable an Government Agents, particularly in rural communities. Agents could supervise Constables, and in many cases (particularly before confederation) acted as Constables. Constables could be the only government representative in very remote locations. In these cases they fulfilled some responsibilities of the Government Agent, and could be considered constable/recorder, constable/assessor, constable/collector or even constable/assessor/recorder. The inclusion of non-police work for some Constable's workloads greatly reduced through the twentieth century, but did not cease completely until 1950.

The mandate of the British Columbia Constabulary was to maintain peace and order and to enforce the laws of the province under the authority of An Act respecting Police Constables (Statutes of British Columbia, 48 Vict., c. 22, revised 51 Vict., c. 96).

In 1895, under the new Provincial Police Act (SBC 1895, 58 Vict., c. 45) the name was changed to the British Columbia Provincial Police Force. The duties of the force included patrolling the land, waterways, and coastline, enforcing laws, maintaining peace, policing strikes, controlling smuggling, and generally enforcing provincial statutes. Special constables were also deployed as required. Police in remote areas could do a wide variety of additional jobs, including gaoler, coroner, and court clerk.

The administration of policing was divided into a variety of police districts, which changed over the years. The 1923 Police and Prison Regulation Act (SBC 1923, c. 57) led to the reorganization of the 16 district headquarters into four main divisions. "A" Division was divided into Victoria and Vancouver subdivisions. "B" Division had its headquarters in Nelson and included the following districts: Boundary, Fernie, Northeast Kootenay, and West Kootenay. "C" Division had its headquarters in Kamloops and included the following districts: Kamloops, Lillooet, Vernon, and Yale. "D" Division had its headquarters in Prince Rupert and included the following districts: Fort George, Hazleton, Peace River District, and Prince Rupert. There was also a separate Liquor Branch. The provincial headquarters and Police Superintendent's office remained in Victoria (see the 1924 Superintendent of Police report in the BC sessional papers for further details).

The 1923 Act greatly modernized the police force. It officially made the Attorney-General the head of the Police, and for the first time, uniforms were issued to constables.

In 1946, the force policed all rural areas and unincorporated settlements as well as forty municipalities throughout the province. The British Columbia Provincial Police Force ceased to exist in 1950, when provincial policing was taken over by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Custodial history

Donated to the Provincial Archives of British Columbia in 1975. Custodial history unknown.

Scope and content

The series consists of two volumes of minute books created by the Council of North Saanich between 1906 and 1911. Volume 1 covers the period of March 1906 to June 1910 and volume 2 covers June 1910 to December 1911. The volumes contain the minutes of both regular and special meetings and refer to council activities in the North Saanich and Sidney area.

Volume 2 also contains the daily diary of the Provincial Police Dept., Sidney from December 1913 to May 1915.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Language of material

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

There are no access restrictions.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Finding aids

Associated materials

Related materials

Accruals

General note

Accession number(s): 75-G-056.

Alternative identifier(s)

Standard number area

Standard number

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Genre access points

Control area

Description record identifier

Accession area

Related subjects

Related genres

Physical storage

  • Box: 880340-0320