Documents & Records
Victoria Ledger of Exempt Admissions
Basics
This large loose-leaf register lists Chinese immigrants entering Canada at Victoria who were exempted from paying the head tax.
The list appears to be a carbon copy of an original, whose location is unknown. There is a list for each month, beginning January 1914 and ending September 1930. In most monthonly a few exemptions were granted, and in some there were none.
Usually, people claimed exemption from the head tax as independent merchants or as members of a partnership or company or their dependents. Some claimed exemption as members of other exempted groups, such as teachers and diplomats. In other cases, Canadian-born Chinese who had left Canada under C.I.9 rules and overstayed their absence also were able to claim exemption.
Each entry in the monthly ledger includes the following column headings. The examples shown are for entries from June 1919:
- Name of Firm
- This is usually the name of the company which applied for exemption on behalf of one of the partners or his dependents. Until February 1921, the names of all the firm's partners were listed.
- Examples:
- Chung Wo Company
- Partners: Won Kum. Won Wa. Won Hock Lim. and Won Yuk
- In other cases it is the name of the individual native-born Canadian that is recorded. These entries usually often include information on date and place of birth in Canada.
- Example:
- Lum Jung. Born at Ashcroft B.C. on the 22nd Nov. 1888. Expired C.I.9 No.20904 dated 4th Nov.1912. C.I.28 No. 02229.
- Number of Partners
- When a firm applied on behalf of a partner or his dependents, the number of partners was listed.
- Example: 4
- When Partnership Registered
- The date on which the partnership was registered is recorded.
- Example: 20-Feb.1903.
- Place of Business
- The location of the business
- Example: Victoria, B.C.
- Name of Husband, Father or Applicant
- In the case of firms, the name of the individual seeking exemption (or the Husband or Father of the dependent) appeared in this column.
- Example: Won Yuk, husband
- In the case of native-born expired returnees, this column was left blank as the information appeared in the "Name of Firm" column.
- No. of Wives
- A numerical value.
- Usually 1
- No. of Sons
- A numerical value.
- Example: 4
- No. of Daughters
- A numerical value.
- Example: 4
- Which of Them Arrived Here
- Early records simply give a relationship name, e.g. Wife.
- Later records provide names.
- Date of Arrival
- Example: 20th May 1919
- C.I.4 or C.I. 30 No.
- Example (firm applying on behalf of partner): 01888
- Example (Canadian-born returning after expiry of C.I.9 certificate):Nil
- Date of Admission
- Example: 6th June 1919
- Port File Number
- Example: 51073
In some cases, foreign-born Chinese did not apply for exemption as a member of a firm, but registered as New merchants or as members of other exempt classes, such as School teacher.
In some cases, additional documentation has been tipped into the ledger.
For more details see the archival inventory description of the Victoria Ledger of Exempt Admissions in the General Inventory on the Library and Archives Canada website.
Finding the Records
At Library and Archives Canada
The above records have not been microfilmed. For information on how to consult them, see How to Access Library and Archives Canada Records. The archival reference number for this item is RG76.Vol. 1070.
Photo banner: Detail from VPL Historical Photograph 78362
