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Title

Sub-sub-series consists of

4817 lower level description(s)

Arrangement structure

Show Arrangement Structure

Sub-sub-series part of

First central registry system [textual record (some microform)] (R1206-126-2-E)

Accession

1. Central Registry (Subject and Case) Files [textual records]
2. Central Registry (Subject and Case) Files [textual records]
3. Central Registry (Subject and Case) Files [textual records]
4. Central Registry (Subject and Case) Files [textual records]
5. Central Registry (Subject and Case) Files [textual records]
6. CENTRAL REGISTRY FILES (FIRST SERIES) - NOMINAL AND SUBJECT INDEX [textual records]
7. First Control Registry Series (straight numeric) - Central Registry Files [textual records]
8. First Central Registry System Subject Files, Montreal Agency Records, and Miscellaneous Immigration Records [textual records]
9. Central Registry (first series) files, Chinese Immigration Records, Ship Notifications of Arrival, and Central Registry Subject Indexes. [textual records]
10. Central registry files (first series) - Nominal and Subject Index [textual records]
11. IMMIGRATION MANUALS (FIRST AND SECOND SERIES) AND INSTRUCTIONS [textual records]
12. Central Registry Files, First Central Registry Series [textual records] (116-000036-4)

Bilingual equivalent

Dossiers-matière et dossiers de cas [document textuel]

Date(s)

1873-1973

Place of creation

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent

140.35 m of textual records

Language of material

English

Scope and content

Sub-sub-series consists of subject and case files maintained in the first central registry system. The subject files relate to a wide variety of topics in the history of Canadian immigration, settlement (especially but not confined to settlement of western Canada), ethnic groups, and the representation and promotion of Canada abroad. These files include documents on federal immigration and settlement policy, generally and on specific issues; immigration procedures, including inspection and documentation of individuals and groups; recruitment and assistance to specific ethnic, national, and minority religious groups, both on their passage to Canada and while settling in Canada; control of "undesirables" and illegal immigration (including deportation, rejection at the border, and reports on criminality in the country); administration and finances of the Immigration services (including files on immigration personnel, buildings, accounts, publicity and communications, etc.); liaison with provincial and foreign governments and private or religious organizations assisting immigrants; and special-purpose immigration schemes, especially for child (juvenile) immigrants but also for domestic servants, women, farmers and farm workers, labourers, etc. There are lists of names of individual immigrants on many of the subject files. This sub-sub-series also contains a small selection of case files on individual persons. Until 1952, individual files were not normally opened to document individual immigrants. Most of the surviving files document immigrants of Chinese ancestry (see RG 76 series D-2-g for examples); unusual or controversial cases (VIP's, criminals, "agitators", etc.); and other "inadmissible" individuals bonded on arrival (the sick, handicapped, etc.). Volumes 1-676 are files on all subjects, 1873-1966, transferred to the Archives in five separate accessions, 1969-1973. They were interfiled in numerical order by the Government Archives Division. At the same time both the Department and the National Archives destroyed some files containing routine housekeeping material. Lists of retained and destroyed files are available. Volumes 679-689 are files, 1873-1939, mainly on administrative subjects, transferred to the Archives at an unknown date in the early 1970s. Volume 712 contains two files on seed grain relief in Saskatchewan and Alberta, 1914-1915, transferred in 1977. These may have originated in the parallel filing system of the Department of the Interior's Dominion Lands Branch, and not in the Immigration registry. Volume 715 contains four subject files, 1880-1950, transferred in 1979. Two are historic reference files, one relating to the immigration and colonization policy in the 1880s (probably created in the file registry of the Department of the Interior's Dominion Lands Branch), and one on the identification and commemoration of the earliest homesteaders in western Canada. In 2002, volume 166 was re-containerized for preservation and conservation purposes. It was re-named volume 1662. Volumes 737-742, 1910-1973, transferred to the National Archives in 1980, consist largely of case files of special legal or historical interest, with a few subject files on assorted topics. The case files document, among others, noted individuals such as Communists Tim Buck and Sam Cohen (Carr), the Doukhobor leader Peter Verigin the Elder, and the Rev. James Endicott. Others are long-running cases of various kinds, dealing for instance with disabled or mentally handicapped relatives of immigrants who were allowed to remain in Canada under renewable Ministers' Permits. As the file titles often do not convey the full range of information available in the files, users should consult as wide a variety of files in their subject area as possible. Many of the files are titled with the name of an Immigration office or officer, or the name of an organization. Thus researchers should look not only for files on the topic they are researching, but also for files of reports submitted by specific Immigration HQ or field officers, or by named private organizations relevant to the subject. The contemporary subject indexes (finding aid 76-8) index some of the topical material on this type of file.

Conditions of access

Terms of use

Copyright belongs to the Crown. In order to protect the fragile originals, the microfilm copies of these records must be consulted rather than the originals.

Finding aid

Finding aid 76-1 is a typed file list giving the relevant accession numbers for the First Central Registry files which were transferred to the Archives in five stages at various times, 1969-1980. 76-1 90 (Paper)

Finding aid 76-5, parts 1-2 is a typed complete file list that includes file title, date range for RG76 volumes 1-676, 679-689, and 712. The files in these volumes were copied onto microfilm and so the corresponding microfilm reel number for each file is indicated on the finding aid. The presence of nominal lists is indicated in the file titles in finding aid 76-5 part 1. The file titles and outside dates listed in 76-5 are also available electronically as the lower-level file records linked to this sub-sub-series. 76-5 90 (Paper)

Finding aid 76-7 is a microfiche copy of most of the file lists found in finding aid 76-5, parts 1-2. However, microfiche finding aid 76-7 lacks the microfilm reel numbers for files in volumes 455-712. The reel numbers for those volumes must be obtained from the paper version of 76-5 part 1, or from finding aid 76-2. Contact reference room staff to consult or purchase microfiche finding aid 76-7. 76-7 90 (Microform)

Finding aid 76-8 part 1 contains microfilmed subject and nominal indexes available on reels T-5571 to T-5591. The main index is the extremely detailed contemporary index prepared by departmental officials recommended mainly for in-depth research. The finding aid includes a typed shelf list. 76-8 90 (Microform)

Finding aid 76-9 is a typed and handwritten set of abstracts (summaries) of the contents of files in volumes 1-141. 76-9 (Paper)

Finding aid 76-10 is a handwritten file conversion index giving the original and current numbers of those files in the First Central Registry system which were active and brought forward in 1946 to the Second Central Registry system (the "500" block). Finding aid 76-10 consists of five volumes of card indexes organized by file number, with the range of files in each volume as follows: FA 76-10 vol 1. #5 Airways to 316677; 2. 318441 to 801967; 3. 801969 to C1385 Guelph; 4. C1385 Halifax to D23437; 5. D23437 to HR34. Not all files mentioned in finding aid 76-10 still exist or are held by Library and Archives Canada. 76-10 90 (Paper)

Finding aid 76-11 is a projected finding aid that will provide an incomplete list of files destroyed by the Department as routine records. 76-11 99 (Paper)

Finding aid 76-14, the typed main subject index to the Second Central Registry system, includes a number of references to First Central Registry files which were still active at 1946. 76-14 (Paper)

Finding aid 76-131, (parts 1-11) is a typed set of photocopies, located in eleven binders, of the covers of pamphlets and other printed items removed from files in the former RG76-B-1-a and RG76-B-1-b and transferred to the Doughty Library of the National Archives of Canada. A guide to the use of the finding aid and the pamphlet collection itself is located inside each binder. 76-131 (Paper)

Finding aid 76-6 is a file list indicating volume number, file number, file description and outside dates for RG76 volumes 737-742. This finding aid has been severed in compliance with the provisions of the Privacy Act. Severed finding aid 76-6 is available electronically as the lower-level file records linked to this sub-sub-series. 76-6 66 (Paper)

Additional information

Source

Government

Related control no.

1. 1983-84/332 GAD
2. 1983-84/333 GAD
3. 1983-84/334 GAD
4. 1983-84/335 GAD
5. 1983-84/336 GAD
6. 1985-86/005 GAD
7. 1985-86/047 GAD
8. 1985-86/067 GAD
9. 1985-86/069 GAD
10. 1985-86/165 GAD
11. 1985-86/264 GAD
12. 1988-89/036 GAD
13. 116-000036-4
14. RG76
15. RG76-B-1-a

MIKAN no.

134830