Collection search - CO 323. Colonies General, Original Correspondence [textual record (chiefly microform)]

Record information – Brief
1
CO 323. Colonies General, Original Correspondence [textual record (chiefly microform)]

Hierarchical level:

Series

Date:

1660-1925.

Reference:

MG11-CO323

Type of material:

Textual material

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

104320

Context of this record:

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Colonial Office fonds

CO 323. Colonies General, Original Correspondence
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Record information – Details
Series includes:

1635 lower level description(s)
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Date(s):

1660-1925.

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

314 microfilm reels : negative & positive.
1.703 m of textual records : transcripts & photostats.

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

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Colonial Office 323 comprises the records of a number of different offices and departments which existed during various periods of the history of the Colonial Office, all of which handled matters of general importance or matters which referred to more than one colony. In the early years of the nineteenth century, such matters were referred to the Chief Clerk, the Librarian, the Registrar, or the Clerk of the Parliamentary Papers. The Chief Clerk, by the supervisory nature of his position in the office, came to acquire many general responsibilities including: internal discipline, some financial matters, various military questions, appointments, patronage, etc.

The organization of staff and responsibilities within the Colonial Office was closely linked to the principles underlying the record-keeping systems. By 1825, this organization had evolved into one general and four geographical departments. Heading the general department, the Chief Clerk took responsibility for the overall management of colonial administration, accounting, the drafting of formal documents, and (until 1854) some military business. Responsibilities were added and removed over time, but the central focus persisted. In 1854, when the departments of War and the Colonies were separated, most military work passed from the hands of the Chief Clerk as well as responsibility for administering the Order of the Bath.

The selections of Canadian interest copied on microfilm or in photostat or transcript form consist of six reasonably distinct divisions of correspondence. Transcription from CO 323/1-44 and 158 was highly selective, while microfilming of those and later volumes was more comprehensive. Photocopies, 10 pages. The microfilm reel numbers of microfilmed originals are identified in the Control Numbers field or in finding aid no. 90, British Records on Microfilm. The microfilmed transcripts are located on microfilm reels C-14019 to C-14022.

Finding aid:

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Textual records (Electronic) Finding Aid No. 90, British Records on Microfilm, provides a summary shelf listing for all microfilm made directly from the originals at the Public Record Office (reels coded "B"), as well as for the microfilm of the transcripts (reels coded "C"). MSS0090 (90: Open)

Textual records (Electronic) Finding Aid No. 645 is composed of descriptive lists prepared to provide access to the transcripts (for CO 323/1-44) and certain microfilms (for CO 323/45-147 and 902-933), and photocopies of the internal lists prefacing certain volumes (for CO 323/202-445 only). The descriptive lists omit many items considered not relevant to Canada, whereas the internal lists itemize all contents. The Introduction to Finding Aid 645 provides further explanation of these lists and how to use them. MSS0645 (90: Open)
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000001102.pdf

Textual records (Paper) A number of contemporary registers, compiled by staff at the Colonial Office, have been preserved. While these registers exhibit vagaries of arrangement and classification, reflecting contemporary concepts and the absence of descriptive standards, and must be used with caution, reading them fosters an understanding of the terminology and the context of imperial administration. Microfilm of these registers will be found in CO 328, British North America, General Registers and CO 383, Registers, Acts. (90: Open)

Textual records (Paper) The register of the Law Officers' reports on colonial legislation designated CO 323/91, is available on microfilm and a photocopy of it has been shelved with other contemporary registers in Finding Aid 253. MSS0253 (90: Open)

(Electronic) All or some of the documents described have been digitized and are available at the following address: (90: Open)
http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_mikan_104320

(Electronic) Les documents décrits ont été complètement ou en partie numérisés et sont disponibles à l'adresse suivante : (90: Open)
http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_mikan_104320?usrlang=fr

Additional information:

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Custodial history:

The transcription of Canada-related selections from the originals at the Public Record Office was carried out over a half-century ending in 1948. Microfilming of CO 323 commenced in 1958 and continued until 1974. The transcripts of volumes 1 to 44 and 158 were microfilmed in 1980 as a protective measure.

Arrangement note:

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The record-keeping practices of staff within the Colonial Office (and its ancestor agencies, notably the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, more familiarly known as the Board of Trade) followed geographical and chronological patterns. Incoming and outgoing correspondence specific to one colony was filed in series under that colony's name. Correspondence of broader relevance was filed in series with such titles as "Plantations, General" or "Colonies, General" with sub-titles by type of record or activity (Acts, entrybooks, registers). The records now found in CO 323 were initially organized within several distinct filing systems at the Colonial Office. The present arrangement of these sequences as sub-series within the class CO 323 was created at the Public Record Office early in the twentieth century., The several sub-series into which the documents are arranged reflect the responsibilities of the officials who created those filing systems and the administrative practices of the time. Documents of specific Canadian interest are scattered through many sub-series, as are documents of less apparent or immediate relevance to the colonies of British North America that came to form Canada.

Related material:

Replies to the general correspondence may also be found in CO 324, Colonies, General, Entrybooks, Series I. Incoming correspondence on related topics may also be found in CO 384 and other "general" series.
Subject heading:

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Boundaries, inter-colonial Great Britain. Privy Council. Committee for Trade and Plantations, 1660-1782

Boundaries, inter-national Great Britain. Board of Trade, 1660-1782

Colonial administrators - Selection and appointment, 1660-1925 Robert William Hay, 1825-1835

Armorial bearings of colonies, 1801-1925 Great Britain. Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, 1802-1854

Passports, Great Britain, 1796-1818 Great Britain. Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1854-1925

Law Officers of the Crown. Great Britain, 1784-1860 Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, 1755-18.

Legislation, colonial - review of by the Law Officers, 1784-1860

Acts, colonial - review of by the Law Officers, 1784-1860

Ordinances, colonial - review of by the Law Officers, 1784-1860
Source:

Private

Former archival reference no.:

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MG11-CO323
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Conditions of access:

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Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Finding aid box [FA 90] 13--14

[Consultation 10 Closed]

Finding aid box [FA 645] 67

[Consultation 10 Closed]

Textual records: microform

[Consultation90 Open]

Terms of use:

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As a protective conservation measure, the transcripts have been withdrawn from circulation. Researchers are requested to use the microfilm of the transcripts for all consultation and reproduction purposes.

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