THE CEO/SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY

Wayne Braid

Teamwork since 1926

For the past 12 months, we have been celebrating our 90th Anniversary Year.

The Society of Notaries Public was incorporated as the governing body of BC Notaries in our province in 1926.

Our milestone has motivated me to look back into our archives to review how we got to where we are today. I am pleased to share with you some of the things I discovered.

As well as historical information, I saw the leaders of the early organization worked diligently together to make certain that Notarial services in British Columbia were of the highest standard.

In June 1846 the Oregon Treaty set the US and the British North American border at the 49th parallel, with the exception of Vancouver Island, retained in its entirety by the British. Prior to the Treaty, the Hudson's Bay Company controlled the land west of the Rocky (Stony) Mountains down the coast; they appointed their own judges and recorders.

The main settlements on Vancouver Island belonged to the Hudson’s Bay Company. The Island was made a Crown Colony in 1849, with Richard Blanchard as Governor.

From 1851 to 1864, Sir James Douglas was Governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island. In 1858, he also became the first Governor of the Colony of British Columbia and remained Governor of both Vancouver Island and British On November 2, 1926, they got together and formed the governing body called The Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia.

Columbia until his retirement in 1864. Douglas is often credited as “The Father of British Columbia.” Wikipedia

The first Notary in the Colony of British Columbia was appointed by Governor Douglas that year.

The Colony began to grow as people started to settle all over the area. Because citizens needed to record their land purchases and take care of other areas of commerce, Notaries continued to be appointed to provide those important services.

In 1866, Vancouver Island became part of the Colony of British Columbia and Victoria became the united Colony’s capital. On July 20, 1871, British Columbia became the 6th province of Canada with the agreement that the Canadian Government would extend the Canadian Pacific Railway to the west coast and assume the Colony’s $1.5 million debt. British Columbia’s Latin motto is Splendor sine occasu— Splendour without Diminishment.

The Notaries that had been appointed started an Association— “the Association of Notaries.” The leaders soon recognized there needed to be some accountability and enhanced education. On November 2, 1926, they got together and formed the governing body called The Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia. That took great teamwork because written communication at the time was limited to sending letters and invitations by mail.

The first Roll of Notaries Public lists 626 members! Their town names jump off the page—places most of us have never heard of like Anyox, Athalmer, Brighouse, Burton, Eburne, Jubilee, Nahun, Silverton, Willow River, Wistaria, and Wyatt Bay.

At that time there were Notaries at work in the small towns where it is a struggle to get members to practise today, like Ashcroft, Barrier, Beaverdell, Burns Lake, Hazelton, Massett, François Lake, Giscome, Golden, Port Mellon, Skidegate, and Telkwa.

As I read through the 626 names, a couple caught my eye. •

Dufferin Pattullo of Prince Rupert, who went on to become the 22nd

Premier of British

Columbia (1933 to 1941). Of course the Pattullo

Bridge is named in his honour.

Alex Matthew, a Notary in

Vancouver,

Secretary of The

Society of Notaries, and an MLA and

Cabinet Minister in

W.A.C. Bennett’s

Social Credit Government