There’s something new with the past at the Public Archives and Records Office in Charlottetown. Three new features have been added to the archives web site to increase public access to information found in historic documents.
The archives site now has copies of architectural plans from the collection, a searchable index for the petitions to the Governor and Executive Council, and a new on-line exhibit featuring British immigration to P.E.I.
Minister responsible for heritage, Hon. Carolyn Bertram, said she was pleased with the new initiatives. “Documents in the Public Archives and Records Office are an important resource when telling our Island stories. With more material available on-line, it will be easier to access records from home and from school. Islanders and researchers from off-island can visit the archives on-line and find exciting information.”
The Public Archives and Records Office is the province’s official repository for historical documents. It is located in the George Coles Building, Queen’s Square, Charlottetown. The new web-based resources can be found by visiting www.gov.pe.ca/cca and clicking on “Public Archives and Records Office.”
BACKGROUNDER -- THE THREE NEW FEATURES:
Archives staff have digitized 64 architectural plans from the collection. Many of the buildings depicted have been included in the province’s Register of Historic Places. Combined with short biographies of a number of Island architects, the plans pay tribute to the heritage that is all around us.
The PEI Petition database is a searchable index to petitions to the Governor and Executive Council from 1780 to 1915. The majority of petitions, including some from Loyalists, deal with requests for land; others involve requests for money, equipment, contracts, employment, and the building and repair of roads. Some of the petitioners go into great detail about their families, military service, and personal history making the files a valuable source for social and genealogical information.
“Island to Island” is an on-line exhibition looking at the story of British immigration to Prince Edward Island from 1763 to 1870. Through images, diary entries, newspaper articles, letters and passenger lists, visitors will gain an understanding of the immigrant experience and view a sampling of the material available to researchers at the Public Archives and Records Office.