Source List Of Early Post Offices On Vancouver Island

Frequently here in the forum, I see that a question will come up about a particular post mark and a number of people are able to jump in with information about a post office and when it opened/closed etc.

Is there an online resource that you turn to to get such information? The Canadian Archives site (in my experience) is difficult to search, although I realize they do list PO information. It seems that you need to know the specifics of a PO location and then you can get the open/close dates and post masters, etc.

Specifically, what I'm looking for is a reference source showing all the post offices on Vancouver Island in the early 20th century. This might be part of a larger BC listing.

Can anyone point me to such a resource? Does it even exist? Thanks.

Try here it might be what your after.

Cheers, Billhttps://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/disco.../search.aspx

stampfiddler...Welcome to the forum.
Here is a couple for you..

Robert


https://www.allnationsstampandcoin....EarlyPO.html

Here is a huge PDF book to download..Go 2/3 the way down and click DOWNLOAD and download the PDF.

https://open.library.ubc.ca/collect...ms/1.0367749

Thanks to both of you - those look like interesting resources.

Stampfiddler,

I don't think there is a online source for exactly what you want.

The classic source is "The Post Offices of British Columbia 1858-1970" by George H. Melvin (1972). It gives information on location, openings, closings, and postmasters.

A newer source is "British Columbia Post Offices" by William Topping (1983 - First Edition; 1991 - Revised Edition). It doesn't have postmasters or as precise locations, but does include types of cancels.

Neither of these is available on line. You can probably get the second one in hardcopy form, but the first is difficult to find, and will cost $$ if you do.

These sources do not separate out Vancouver Island.

If you want to be serious about this area, there is the newsletter of the British Columbia Postal History Research Group, which is available on line, but is not searchable, nor indexed.

Jan

Jan, that's excellent information and I will investigate further. Thanks.

Bruce

The books (and supplements) of several editions of both Topping and Melvin are available in the library of the Greene Foundation. While we don't normally lend these books out of province, our librarian has been known to scan portions of publications for researchers. I suggest you call the Greene Foundation during business hours (Monday thru Thursday) and speak to either of our librarians...416-921-2073. I also suggest going online to www.greenefoundation.ca to check the catalogue of library resources.
GJP

Try this link for the first book by Melvin the price seems OK but for me in the UK the shipping is about the same as the cost of the book

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Se...-_-ats-_-all

Thanks, Anthraquinone - that would be an excellent resource for me and I live just across the Juan de Fuca Straight from where the bookseller is located. But even living that close the cost of shipping is going to almost the cost of the book. I don't mind paying shipping costs, but this one seems a unreasonable.

But you've given me a source to keep seeking. Thanks again.