Documents & Records
Church Records - Anglican
Basics
Although the Anglican Church carried out missionary activities in the Victoria area as early as the late 1880s, its ministry among the Chinese was limited before the 1920s.
By 1925, four missions had been established in British Columbia: Good Hope in Victoria, Good Shepherd and Good Samaritan in Vancouver, and Good Angel in Vernon. There are also references to an Anglican Chinese mission in Cumberland, B.C. in archival records.
The following book, published in 1925, provides more information about B.C. Chinese missions:
Oriental Missions in British Columbia (1925)
Ward, N. Lascelles
Ref. 266 W26o
For additional information about Anglican Chinese missions and churches in B.C. and elsewhere in Canada, contact archivists at individual diocesan archives (see below).
Finding the Records
Anglican historical records in Canada are held in diocesan collections. (A diocese is a unit of church organization comprising a large number of churches, often encompassing a large geographical area). Historical records relating to Chinese missions and churches have been noted in several collections.
At the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia Archives
Despite its name, the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia encompasses only a portion of the province - Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The diocesan archives has records of the Good Hope Mission in Victoria, which opened in 1922 and operated until 1955. The following is a brief description of some of the records. Text and box numbers can be used to request various items:
Text 36 - Box 1
Comprises a two-volume Marriage Register for the Good Hope Mission. The Register consists of marriage certificates issued from September 18, 1926 to December 26, 1942. These are copies of marriage registrations sent to the provincial vital statistics agency, and are on stationary provided by the government. The file also includes a number of loose documents, including several marriage licenses.
Text 36 - Box 2
Contains a variety of documents related to the Mission, some of genealogical interest. Examples include a register indicating the Name, Age, Address, Date of Baptism, Date of Confirmation, and Remarks of about 50 individuals. Other files include a church directory, list of Sunday school students, record of contributors and other items. Records are mostly in Chinese and appear to date from the 1930s and 1940s.
The above records have not been microfilmed. For information, contact the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia Archives.
At the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster Archives
The Anglican Diocese of New Westminster has historical records relating to the Good Shepherd and Good Samaritan Chinese missions. For more information, contact the Archivist:
6000 Iona Drive
Vancouver, B.C.
V6T 1L4
Telephone: (604) 822-9583
Fax: (604) 822-9212
Email address: anglican-archives@vst.edu
At Other Anglican Archives in B.C. and the Rest of Canada
For information about records in Anglican Archives elsewhere in B.C. and the rest of Canada, refer to this listing of Dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Anglican Archives Network Directory.
Photo banner: Detail from VPL Historical Photograph 78362
