New Brunswick. Lieutenant-Governor's Office : New Brunswick was made a separate jurisdiction in 1784, under a Lieutenant Governor. From 1786 until Confederation, the Governor-in-Chief of Quebec or Lower Canada held a Commission as Governor-in-Chief for each of the maritime provinces in British North America. While the Royal Instructions were addressed to the Governor-in-Chief, they were carried out by the respective Lieutenant Governors.
The Governor or Lieutenant Governor of each colony in British North America may be seen to have maintained three levels of communication, which are reflected in the structure of the record-keeping systems in their offices. At the first level were despatches exchanged with the Colonial Office (for which see the description of despatches in the Correspondence with the Colonial Office series, elsewhere within this fonds). At the second level were despatches exchanged with fellow governors and senior officials who might be categorized as colleagues. The entry books demonstrate substantial variations in place and time as to who was considered a colleague. At both levels, the despatches were prepared for the governor's signature (though rarely in his own hand). At the third level were letters addressed to and received from subordinates (for which see the description of the Secretaries' correspondence, in the Civil Secretary's correspondence received sub-series in the Office of the Governor-in-Chief of the Province of Canada series, elsewhere within this fonds). Responsibility for preparing and signing correspondence at this level was delegated to the Private, Civil or Military Secretaries. Great consistency is evident in the segregation of despatches prepared in the Governor's name (first and second levels) from letters prepared at his orders but signed by his Secretaries (third level).
As a representative of the Crown in and for the colonies of British North America, each Governor or Lieutenant Governor undertook certain responsibilities for external relations and was obliged to maintain a close degree of co-operation with the British Minister at Washington. Filing practices demonstrate that the despatches were considered as communications with colleagues. The same may be said of correspondence with the Commander of the Forces.
Lieutenant governors and administrators of New Brunswick between 1784 and 1867 include: Thomas Carleton, Governor, 22 November 1784; Lieutenant-Governor, 30 October 1786; went to England on leave 4 October 1803 and did not return. Gabriel Ludlow, Administrator, 5 October 1803; died 12 February 1808; Edward Winslow, Administrator, 12 February-23 May 1808; Martin Hunter, Administrator, 24 May 1808-15 June 1812. Short term administrators during this period were George Johnstone, 17 December 1808-26 April 1809 and William Balfour, 11 September-13 November 1811. George Strachey Smyth, Administrator, 15 June 1812-16 August 1813; Sir Thomas Saumarez, Administrator, 17 August 1813-3 July 1814; George Strachey Smyth, Administrator, 3 July 1814-24 June 1816; Harris William Hailes, Administrator, 2 July 1816-29 June 1817; George Strachey Smyth, Lieutenant-Governor, 29 June 1817; died 27 March 1823; Ward Chipman, Administrator, 1 April 1823; died 9 February 1824. James Murray Bliss, Administrator, 21 February-27 August 1824; Sir Howard Douglas, Lieutenant-Governor, 28 August 1824-8 September 1831. Douglas returned to England to help prepare the Marine Boundary case in 1829. The Administrator during his absence (30 March 1829-8 September 1831) was William Black. Sir Archibald Campbell, Lieutenant-Governor, 8 September 1831-1 June 1837; Sir John Harvey, Lieutenant-Governor, 1 June 1837-25 April 1841; Sir William Colebrooke, Lieutenant-Governor, 26 April 1841-10 April 1848; Sir Edmund Walker Head, Lieutenant-Governor, 11 April 1848-28 September 1854; John H.T. Manners-Sutton, Lieutenant-Governor, 7 October 1854-25 October 1861; Arthur Hamilton Gordon, Lieutenant-Governor, 26 October 1861- 30 September 1866. During this period John Amber Cole served as Administrator at intervals between, 7 September 1862 and 27 October 1865. The final Administer of New Brunswick before Confederation was Charles Hastings Doyle, Administrator, 1 October 1866-30 June 1867. RG7 General Inventory
