City of Richmond Archives Introduces New Online Resources
Thanks to the City of Richmond’s Archives, more information on Richmond’s history is just a few mouse clicks away. With the help of volunteers, two new online historical resources have been added to the City's website.
Barker Letter Books
http://www.richmond.ca/cityhall/archives/exhibits/barkerletterbooks.htm
The Barker Letter Books were compiled between 1905 and 1926 and consist of the outgoing correspondence of William Henry Barker, an early General Manager of the company.
The letters chronicle revolutionary changes in the fishing industry in British Columbia: machines replaced hand-labour; new technology in the manufacturing of cans improved safety and reduced labour costs; engines replaced oars in fishing boats; and the regulation of the fishery by the Canadian government became more restrictive and comprehensive.
Volunteers have been responsible for the painstaking transcription and proofreading process. They continue to work on Volume 2, 1920 to 1926, which will be available later in the winter.
History of Lulu Island by Thomas Kidd
http://www.richmond.ca/cityhall/archives/exhibits/luluisland.htm With both of these online publications the intention of the City of Richmond Archives has been to make documents from our holdings widely accessible to researchers at all levels. We now have six online virtual exhibits ranging from an exhibit about a conservation project, to the history of Richmond's schools. These new projects are a welcome addition to 1,100 maps, more than 7,500 photographs, and complete descriptions of our documentary holdings - all available on the Archives pages of the City's website.
This book was first published in 1927 and again in 1973. In recent times revenue from the sales of the book have gone to the Friends of the Richmond Archives, a community group more than 20-years-old, which supports the City of Richmond Archives. Because the stock of books was diminishing, the Friends of the Archives approved a grant to see it re-published, both in hard copy, and online.
