1 FBCA Newsletter Volume 15, Number 1

Terry Reksten Memorial Fund Recipients 2015 The recipients of the 2015 grants from the Terry Reksten Memorial Fund have been selected! This year the Salt Spring Island Historical Society (SSIHS) and the Western Front Media Archive were chosen to receive this annual award. Each organization will receive $1000 to assist with their projects.

The SSIHS, in recognition of the 75th anniversary of the Salt Spring Elementary School, will use the grant to preserve and document the early history of the school district #64 (Gulf Islands). They will create an oral history by interviewing former and current students and teachers. As well, photographs associated with SSI elementary school, staff, students and community members will be digitized. The results of the project will be added to their archives and be presented on their website: saltspringarchives.com.

The Western Front Media Archives represents a small arts community active in Vancouver for over 40 years. They will use the grant to improve the organization and storage conditions of the textual records dating from the 1970s and 1980s. They will re-house artist files, posters and ephemera, which include key records like contracts, correspondence and publicity materials. A staff member will create an inventory list of the contents of the boxes while they are being re-housed. The Western Front Media Archives can be browsed at front.bc.ca

- The 2015 Reksten Fund Committee: Don Reksten, Deidre Simmons, Ryan Gallagher (AABC). 1

Important Reminders from the FBCA

Membership renewals are now due for September 2015 to August 2016

October 18th, 2015 at 2pm will be the FBCA’s

annual general meeting. Mark it on your calendar!

Pemberton Fall Fair, 1929 - BCA C-01109.

2 3 Introduction: Angela Williams, Deputy CEO RBCM Imagine: May 1989, a young co-op student, enters the world of the BC Public Service – the task at hand, to work with a programmer and create a replacement personnel and leave management system for the Ministry of Finance. You can do it in 8 months, they said. The job: review almost 1500 personnel files from back to front; identify all the major actions in that individual’s career; enter data on all of those milestones into new electronic records; document the contents of the file, the actions taken online, and ensure file integrity; and, finally, file them back where they belong. Did I mention that the files were not all in the same location? And that half of the information was offsite? Make sure you retrieve everything, they said, and don’t forget to put it back where it belongs! I was asked to test the system, test the business rules, test the data integrity. I had to match fields from the system, do a massive data cleanup, and move it all into production (oh, and train some people along the way in how to use it). What this taught me was that the proper management, stewardship, and care of records is essential to the success and understanding of an organization.

Had I failed in my project, it is likely that today upwards of 1600 people would not have accurate information related to their careers and that their eligibility for benefits and pension information would be incorrect. That’s a lot to put on the shoulders of a young co-op student. But, the Human Resources staff at the Ministry of Finance believed in me 25 years ago, and even though my co-op term ended, I never left.

The Public Service has been an outstanding career choice for me. I have worked in 3 Provincial Ministries (Finance, Human Resources and Social Development, Management Services - now Technology and Citizens Services - and currently, the Royal BC Museum and BC Archives). Think like a taxpayer, they said. I do. Provide support services to Citizens, they said. I did. Understand the business of government how it serves citizens – throughout my career, I have.

Today, alongside an amazing team of professionals who are reimagining the BC Archives of the 21st century, we are focused providing the public with secure, trustworthy access to their heritage – in a world where fewer people visit the Archives in person, but more people access our Archival collection than ever before. (continued on next page)

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At the beginning of September, we launched our new web-search portal – Access to Memory (AtoM). If you have not yet had an opportunity to explore this rich resource, I encourage you to do so. Over one million records are already loaded, and there are many, many more to come. In a few months, the Integrated Museum Management system (IMM) will come on line, providing the ability to search the museum’s collections and explore the many objects and specimens found within the human history and natural history disciplines.

Another key initiative is also coming to fruition. As many of you know, the Royal BC Museum and BC Archives recently reached agreement to resolve an impasse of almost 12 years of government records not having been transferred to the BC Archives. We will soon be implementing our new Government Archives unit; and will begin processing the backlog to make these important records accessible as fast as we can.

I firmly believe that record keeping is a fundamental activity of public administration. Without records there can be no rule of law and no accountability. Archival records provide a reliable, legally verifiable source of evidence of decisions and actions – of individuals, businesses, communities, organizations, and governments. Relevant and current public records are essential to demonstrating fair, equal, and consistent treatment of citizens. Without access to these records, the public does not have the evidence needed to hold officials or governments accountable. All aspects of public service, including health, education, land, judicial rights, and pensions (to name just a few!) depend upon well- kept and well managed records. It is with this understanding we will undertake to process this backlog of government records quickly, and efficiently (although, it will take time!) to make them accessible for the public good.

And here I am, over 25 years later, once a young co-op student whose first job included ensuring accuracy and preservation of personnel records and now having the great honour of leading a team who oversees, preserves, and provides access to the Archival collection for all British Columbians. Come visit us online, come visit us in person, or send us an e-mail. We look forward to your next visit, however and whenever that may be.

- Angela Williams, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO, Royal BC Museum

4 5 Royal BC Museum & Archives Launches New Archival Database Did you know that the records in the archives would stretch 32 kilometers if filed end-to-end? The archives help tell BC’s story through personal letters, photos, art, music, newspapers and film. With a strong emphasis on the province’s social and political history, these records help us better understand our past, our present and our future. Take the Gold Rush! El Dorado in BC exhibition for example: community petitions, photographs of mining sites and handwritten diary entries all help paint a richer picture of life in BC during the gold rush era.

The Royal BC Museum and Archives is an open institution; its mandate is to collect, preserve and share BC’s stories. While many researchers still utilize the Royal BC Museum’s physical archives, the need for digital access is increasing every day. In fact, virtual visits to the archives’ online search tool already exceed on-site visits by approximately 500 times. By increasing digital access to archival information, the museum and archives offers greater public access while protecting its historical records for future generations.

Offering this type of unfiltered, large scale access is a massive undertaking – and making improvements to the BC Archives’ popular database has been an ambitious process, but one with long- term advantages for Royal BC Museum and Archives staff and users alike. In August of 2015, the museum and archives marked a major milestone with the launch of a new archival database, BC Archives Collection Search. This is an innovative, web-based application created exclusively for archival description. The Collection Search is a resource that allows unprecedented access to the archival collection, including thousands of new records.

The updated, friendlier interface allows the public to browse or search archival descriptions and authority records (information about corporate bodies, people or families) like never before. Because the BC Archives Collection Search is a relational database, the relationship between records is highlighted, encouraging dynamic exploration. Additionally, it will allow archivists to update and add records more efficiently and regularly, a huge benefit for Royal BC Museum and Archives users. (continued on next page)

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This new software was built by Artefactual, a BC firm that was also commissioned by the International Council of Archives, a close partner of UNESCO – a ringing endorsement by two global heritage authorities. AtoM, which stands for Access to Memory, is a standards based system, ensuring the best practices for BC archival records. Because it is open source, AtoM also promotes greater institutional collaboration and development. Additionally, AtoM will allow archivists to upload photos and textual records, plus links to audio and video files. All these upgrades and new features bring the database in line with the Royal BC Museum’s reputation as an innovative organization that uses technology to its full advantage.

Start exploring today at search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

- Meagan Sugrue, Web & E-Commerce Specialist, Royal BC Museum and Archives

“Interior view of part of BC Archives in Victoria, ca. 1925.” BCA G-05893

6 7 Recent FBCA Events Managing the Gold Rush (September 20, 2015)

The first gold rush in BC was on the lower Fraser River in 1858. It was composed largely of flour gold (fine small pieces), which experienced miners from California and elsewhere recognized as meaning that the gold had been ground down by being carried from the source upstream. Speaker Marie Elliott pointed out that almost half of the placer gold found in BC has come out of the Cariboo, which is still producing today. She explained that the and Quesnel Terranes form the geological source of the Cariboo gold fields. Two men, Henry Maynard Ball at Lytton, and Thomas Elwyn at Lillooet were designated as assistant gold commissioners by Governor . The gold produced in 1859 was reported as $1,615,000. The prospectors advanced up the Fraser and Quesnel rivers, establishing a settlement, Quesnel Forks, at the junction of the Cariboo and Quesnel rivers. The settlement became the first centre of the Cariboo and a supply centre for the local region that soon attracted a predominately Chinese population.

In 1861 two entrepreneurs from San Francisco, Thomas Barry and Samuel Adler, built a toll bridge across the . The trail proceeded along the to Keithley Creek and over the Snowshoe Plateau to Antler Creek. When this area showed signs of extensive gold deposits, Peter O’Reilly recommended for the new position of assistant for the Cariboo in 1860. When appointed, Nind hired as the constable. Nind recommended to Douglas that a Gold Escort be established and that a road to Williams Creek be built via Quesnellemouth (Quesnel). The road was established as a trail in mid 1862 and not completed as a wagon road until 1865. After the road was opened prospectors pushed even farther north.

Marie noted that Nind helped the Shuswap people over a tough winter of 1860-61, and that the miners cooperated with him because the working season was short and they were eager to mine for gold. Production of gold in 1861 was $2,600,000 and in the combined years of 1862-1863 to over $4,000,000. Douglas agreed in June 1861 to a gold escort, with Thomas Elwyn in charge. There was no escort in 1862 but a second escort was deployed in 1863 under the leadership of Nind. After that the government was reluctant to continue the escort, and miners organized private guards or employed express companies that would guarantee shipments. Nind moved to Australia in 1866, operating a sugar plantation. Later on he became the Auditor-General for Trinidad and British Guyana.

- Ron Greene, FBCA Board Member 7

Upcoming FBCA Events October 18: James Cook: An Explorer for the Ages Historian of exploration of the northwest coast of America, Robin Inglis was recently the research curator for the major exhibition “Arctic Ambitions; Captain Cook and the Northwest Passage.’’ The Anchorage Museum and the Washington State Historical Society sponsored the exhibition and Inglis wrote the preface for the splendid accompanying book. Inglis is a fellow of the Canadian Museums Association, and has served as director of the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the North Vancouver Museum and Archives. In 2008 Inglis published the insightful Historical Dictionary of the Discovery and Exploration of the Northwest Coast of America.

This lecture will start at 2:30 and is preceded by the Friends’ Annual General Meeting at 2:00

November 15: Researching Stewards of the People’s Forests

The creation of the BC Forest Branch in 1912 marked the start of over a century of service by the many women and men who served as stewards of BC’s forests. Historians Robert Griffin and Lorne Hammond recently published a book telling the story of the Forest Branch – renamed the Forest Service in 1947 – over a century of stewardship of the province’s largest industry. The authors relate not just the big stories involving the major personalities, but also the front-line foresters, rangers, and firefighters who dedicated and risked their lives to protect the forests

Dr. Robert Griffin recently retired as history curator at the Royal BC Museum after more than 30 years. He has written many articles on the forest and mining industries, and recently co-authored (with Nancy Oke) Feeding the Family: 100 Years of Food and Drink in Victoria.

Dr. Lorne Hammond has been a history curator at the Royal BC Museum since 1997. He has written extensively on energy history in the province and has curated museum exhibitions on many aspects of BC history.

For the complete list of FBCA events for 2015/16, visit our new website https://friendsofbcarchives.wordpress.com/upcoming-events/

8 9 Growing the FBCA’s Online Presence We recently launched our own website. You’ll find us at: https://friendsofbcarchives.wordpress.com/ Our website has information about upcoming events, links to recent newsletters, and news of the Terry Reksten Memorial Fund. By having our own website, we can also provide summaries of many of our past events, such as workshops, field trips, and public lectures. Since our organization began in October 2000, we have hosted over 120 events! Our website is also linked to the Royal BC Museum website at: http://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/bcarchives/friends/. We also have a new email: [email protected]

Friends can also follow us on Twitter. From our website, there is link to our Twitter page at: https://twitter.com/bcarchives. On Twitter, Friends will find tweets (short, pithy comments) about archives, genealogy, heritage, museums, public history, and many more interesting topics.

And members of the Friends of the BC Archives can soon be ‘friends’ with our organization on Facebook! We are keen to expand the scope of our web page and enthusiastic about the potential of social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

If you have ideas and suggestions on how to extend our digital presence, or any thoughts about upcoming events we might host, please contact us!

Contact Email: [email protected] Website: https://friendsofbcarchives.wordpress.com/ Address: Friends of the Archives, B.C. Archives Royal British Columbia Museum, 675 Belleville St. Victoria, B.C. V8W 9W2

The Friends Programs are held in the Newcombe Conference Hall at the Royal British Columbia Museum, 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. on Sundays. For more information about these events contact Ron Greene, Treasurer of the Friends of the BC Archives at 250-598- 1835. Events are free for members, $5.00 for non-members, payable at the door.

Please call (250) 356-7226 in advance for information about access for persons with disabilities. 9

Friends of the BC Archives (FBCA) Membership Form All donations beyond membership fees are tax deductible. The Friends of the British Columbia Archives is a registered charity.

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