Full digital images of the original records of births, deaths and marriages in British Columbia are now available for FREE OF CHARGE through the Royal B.C. Museum and B.C. Archives websites. The move is a result of a partnership involving the British Columbia Archives, the Vital Statistics Agency, and FamilySearch International.
Indexes previously accessible could provide only the brides' and grooms' names, along with the dates and places of marriage. The new release offers full images of the original documents that can provide extra information. For example, the original record of a marriage reveals names of the bride and groom, their ages and occupations, and parents' names. Even the witnesses are listed.
Indexes previously accessible could provide only the brides' and grooms' names, along with the dates and places of marriage. The new release offers full images of the original documents that can provide extra information. For example, the original record of a marriage reveals names of the bride and groom, their ages and occupations, and parents' names. Even the witnesses are listed.
About 700,000 images have been scanned, including births from 1854 to 1903, deaths from 1872 to 1991, and marriages from 1872 to 1936. Phase 2, scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, will add more images and information, including pre-1872 records and deaths overseas during the Second World War.
You can read more in an article by Richard Watts in the Victoria Sun at http://goo.gl/iLdR5.
My thanks to newsletter reader Mary Holland for telling me about this new database.
