Collection search - Miscellaneous records retained in the Clerk's Office including the Blue Books of Statistics and records of inquiry into the Surveyor General's Office [textual record] [textual record]

The arrangement of the Blue Books of Statistics was revised in 1973, when each Blue Book was designated a separate volume. The obsolete volume references are provided in the CAB RG 1 Shelf List to permit tracing old citations. A number of duplicates were removed from the records at that time but several drafts and duplicates were retained among the records to demonstrate the methods used as well as the exactitude with which copies were prepared for various offices.

Photocopies of the Blue Books of Statistics are available for use in lieu of the fragile originals. A set of Blue Books of Statistics is also available in the Colonial Office fonds, series CO 47, Canada, formerly British North America, Miscellanea (MG11-CO47), vols. 141-155, microfilm reels B-2907 to B-2909 and B-1478.

As regards the Blue Books of Statistics, local officials reported to the Provincial Secretary and Registrar, who in turn compiled the summary returns. Correspondence and reports used by the Provincial Secretary and Registrar in compiling the Blue Books have been identified elsewhere within the holdings of Library and Archives Canada, notably in RG 5 (Records of the Civil and Provincial Secretaries, Upper Canada and Canada West), series B6 and B26. Circular despatches from the Colonial Office providing instructions for the compilation of the Blue Books can be found in the Office of the Governor General of Canada fonds (R178, formerly RG 7), notably in the Despatches from the Colonial Office sub-series within the Correspondence with the Colonial Office series (see vol. 15, pp. 192-195 for 1826 and vol. 22, pp. 39-43 for 1831).