Catalogue description Colonial Office and predecessors: Canada, formerly British North America, Original Correspondence

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Details of CO 42
Reference: CO 42
Title: Colonial Office and predecessors: Canada, formerly British North America, Original Correspondence
Description:

This series contains original correspondence relating to British North America, later Canada.
Date: 1700-1922
Arrangement:

Bound volumes arranged chronologically, and from 1801 within the following subject headings: Despatches (letters of the governors), Offices (letters of government departments and other organisations) and Individuals (arranged alphabetically). Each volume with a contents list, or précis of each letter giving name of correspondent, date of letter and subject matter.
Related material:

For records relating to British Columbia before 1872 see CO 60

For records relating to New Brunswick before 1867 see CO 188

For records relating to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton before 1867 see CO 217

For records relating to Prince Edward Island before 1873 see CO 226

For records relating to Vancouver Island before 1871 see CO 305

For records after 1922 see CO 532
Separated material:

For part of the correspondence arranged as 'public offices and individuals' correspondence, 1857 to 1868, see CO 6
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Physical description: 1045 volume(s)
Publication note:

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, 1574-1739 (HMSO, 1860-1994; CDROM edition, Routledge, 2000)
Unpublished finding aids:

For registers to correspondence before 1850 see CO 326, from 1850 see CO 335. For registers of out-letters see CO 329 and CO 340. For indexed précis of correspondence see CO 714.

Administrative / biographical background:

French Canada, of which the first settlement was planted at Quebec in 1608, was conquered by Britain during the Seven Years' War and ceded to her in 1763. From 1763 until 1774 there was a military administration under a governor, but in 1774 a nominated council was established. By the Canada Act of 1791 Canada was divided into two provinces, Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec). An executive council, a nominated legislative council and an elective house of assembly were established in each province. In 1838 the constitution of Lower Canada was suspended, but by an act of 1840 the two provinces were reunited with a single executive council, nominated legislative council and elective house of assembly. Responsible government was established in 1842, and in 1856 the legislative council was made partly elective. In 1867 the British North America Act united the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia as the Dominion of Canada. Other provinces were added later.

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