CS-Records ID: 949
Henry O. Bell-Irving founded the Anglo-British Columbia Packing Company in 1890, though the capital behind the company predominantly came from British investors. The Company was headquartered in London, England.
After acquiring a number of canneries in the 1890s, the Company produced slightly more than one-quarter of B.C.'s total salmon pack by 1895. The Company was the first of two significant amalgamations in the salmon canning industry in British Columbia. The second amalgamation, the formation of BC Packers (an American company registered in New Jersey) in 1902 came to dominate the canning industry and was a significant factor in ABC Packing’s decline in influence in the industry.
ABC Packing had an advisory board, made up of managers of operations, which met monthly during the season; it discussed cannery and fisheries operational matters, such as construction and renovation of cannery buildings, wages, price paid for fish, planning for pack in a year, consolidated procurement etc. At 1895, H. Bell-Irving was the Chair and the group met at the H. Bell-Irving Co. offices.
The company acquired a number of canneries, including:
Fraser River Canneries acquired in 1891:
Annieville Cannery, acquired from British Columbia Packing Co.
British American Cannery, acquired from British American Packing Company.
Canoe Pass Cannery, acquired from Drysdale & Co.
Wadhams Cannery, acquired from E.A. Wadhams.
Phoenix Cannery, acquired from English & Co.
Garry Point Cannery, acquired from Hobson & Co.
Britannia Cannery, acquired from Duncan Batchelor et al.
North coast canneries:
Arrandale Cannery (Portland Canal near the mouth of the Nass River), purchased from Wallace Fisheries in 1911.
Port Nelson Cannery (Nass River) purchased from the Port Nelson Canning and Salting Company in 1910.
North Pacific Cannery (north shore of Inverness Passage, Skeena River) purchased by H.O. Bell-Irving in 1891, then sold on to ABC Packing in 1892.
British American Cannery (Port Essington, at confluence of Ecstall and Skeena rivers) purchased by H.O. Bell-Irving in 1891, then sold on to ABC Packers in 1894.
The company built the Good Hope Cannery in Rivers Inlet in 1894. The company also leased another cannery at Port Essington, which had been previously operated as the Skeena River Commercial Cannery, after the British American Cannery plant burnt down in 1923.
Local oversight of the company's operations in British Columbia, as well as selling agent responsibilities were contracted with H.O. Bell-Irving and Company, the firm that grew out of Henry Bell-Irving's trading and investment firm, Bell-Irving and Patterson, established ca. 1889 in partnership with R.H. Paterson.
In 1895, the Anglo-British Columbia Packing Company established the Fidalgo Island Packing Company, which remained a subsidiary until 1964, when it was sold.
After Henry Bell-Irving's death in 1931, local management of the Company's operations passed to Bell-Irving's son Richard and Peter Traill, both former directors. In 1966, the company expanded its operations expanded its operations, building a herring reduction plant in Caraquet, New Brunswick.
The Company left the British Columbia salmon cannery business in 1969, selling their cannery operations. A much-reduced Company continued until 1974, operating the herring reduction plant. At that time the company was wound up entirely.
published
Title based on the contents of the fonds.
The fonds consists of business records from the Anglo-British Columbia Packing Company and its American subsidiaries. Most of the records span the time 1891 to 1968. The majority of the records from the ABC Packing Company fall into three series: annual records, Advisory Board minutes and legal records. The records of the Fidalgo Island Packing Company are represented by three minute books covering the period from 1895 to 1964. There is also one bound minute book which documents five U.S. fishing companies which were owned by the Fidalgo Island Packing Company from 1910 to 1927.
Photographs in this fonds have been assigned catalogue numbers with the prefix CVA 783. Some of the records in this fonds were previously assigned AM935. All records in this fonds are to be cited as AM870.
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1984, 1986 and 1996.
CS-Records ID: 135290
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Series consists of files created and maintained to support the business activities of the Anglo-British Columbia Packing Company. Includes annual reports, advisory board minutes and legal records. Also includes minutes of the Fidalgo Island Packing Company (established by A.B.C. Packing Co.) and its five U.S. subsidiaries; Lopez Island Fishing Company, Orcas Island Fishing Company, Lummi Island Fishing Company, San Juan Fishing Company and Bellingham Bay Fishing Company.
Records have been unfolded and arranged so that documents were placed behind the envelope in which they had been contained. Legal records are arranged by type of transaction and within the type of transaction by geographic area whenever possible.
CS-Records ID: 135259
Folder formerly located at 590-G-04
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CS-Records ID: 135256
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File includes annual reports, analyses of cost, analyses of profits, comparative costs and information on salmon pack distribution.
CS-Records ID: 135257
Volume formerly located at 590-G-02
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File includes annual reports, comparative costs, costs of salmon shapes and salmon pack distribution.
CS-Records ID: 135258
Volume formerly located at 590-G-03
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File includes annual reports, comparative costs, costs of salmon shapes and salmon pack distribution.
CS-Records ID: 135254
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CS-Records ID: 135280
Folder formerly located at 591-A-04 fld 01
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CS-Records ID: 135281
Folder formerly located at 591-A-04 fld 02
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CS-Records ID: 135282
Folder formerly located at 591-A-04 fld 03
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CS-Records ID: 135283
Folder formerly located at 591-A-04 fld 04
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CS-Records ID: 135284
Folder formerly located at 591-A-04 fld 05
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CS-Records ID: 135285
Folder formerly located at 591-A-04 fld 06
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CS-Records ID: 135274
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CS-Records ID: 135255
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CS-Records ID: 135286
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CS-Records ID: 135287
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CS-Records ID: 135288
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CS-Records ID: 135265
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CS-Records ID: 135266
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File includes a plan showing a fragment of section 9 of the New Westminster District.
CS-Records ID: 135267
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File includes two plans; one showing a fraction of section 9 of New Westminster and one for the building of floats in San Juan Harbour.
CS-Records ID: 135268
Plan transferred to Oversize shelf 560-I.
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File includes a plan of subdivision of lots 1 and 2 of block B, section 12 of New Westminster District.
CS-Records ID: 135269
Plans transferred to Oversize shelf 560-I.
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File includes 2 plans of New Westminster (lot 6238 and 6316) and 1 plan of Rupert District (lot 1574).
CS-Records ID: 135260
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File includes a district lot plan for Inverness Passage.
CS-Records ID: 135261
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CS-Records ID: 135262
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CS-Records ID: 135263
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CS-Records ID: 135264
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CS-Records ID: 135277
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CS-Records ID: 135278
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CS-Records ID: 135279
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CS-Records ID: 135276
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CS-Records ID: 135270
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CS-Records ID: 135275
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CS-Records ID: 135272
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CS-Records ID: 135273
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CS-Records ID: 135289
Folder formerly located at 591-A-06
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File includes minutes for the following companies: Lopez Island Fishing Company, Orcas Island Fishing Company, Lummi Island Fishing Company, San Juan Fishing Company and Bellingham Bay Fishing Company.
CS-Records ID: 135271
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CS-Records ID: 135253
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Series consists of two photograph albums of canning and fishing operations of the Anglo-British Columbia Packing Co. Ltd., Fraser River fisheries, Anacortes, Washington and Ketchikan, Alaska fisheries.
Photographs in this series have been assigned catalogue numbers in the range CVA 783-1 to CVA 783-494.
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
Copy prints of some of these original photographs are located at CVA 355.
CS-Records ID: 223090
Folder formerly located at 201-B-07 fld 02.
published
File consists of images from the following identified canneries: Phoenix Brittania, Wadhams, British America and Canoe Pass, British Columbia, Knight Inlet, Seymour Inlet, Good Hope, British America Skeena, North Pacific, Port Nelson, Arrandale, Fidago, Ketchikan, Sinclair Island, Port Graham, Herendeen and Caledonia
Photographs in file have been assigned catalogue numbers in the range CVA 783-17 to CVA 783-494
Pages in poor condition and separated from album
CS-Records ID: 211734
* Photograph located on page 115 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211735
* Photograph located on page 115 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211728
* Photograph located on page 114 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211729
* Photograph located on page 114 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211730
* Photograph located on page 114 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
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Photograph shows the "Phoenix"
Image fading, yellowing
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211733
* Photograph located on page 115 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211736
* Photograph located on page 115 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211727
* Photograph located on page 114 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211732
* Photograph located on page 115 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing, creased and cracked emulsion
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211711
* Photograph located on page 110 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Photograph shows the new Indian Wharf with houses and a boardwalk
Image fading, yellowing
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211713
* Photograph located on page 111 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Photograph shows Japanese houses on new wharf, net mens' shack, the mess house and watch house
Image fading, yellowing, mirroring, creased and cracked emulsion
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211726
* Photograph located on page 114 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211721
* Photograph located on page 113 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
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Photograph shows Larsen in the background
Image fading, yellowing, mirroring, staining
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211724
* Photograph located on page 113 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211722
* Photograph located on page 113 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing, creased and cracked emulsion
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211725
* Photograph located on page 114 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211717
* Photograph located on page 112 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211723
* Photograph located on page 113 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211720
* Photograph located on page 112 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
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Photograph shows net racks damaged by snow and ice and the cannery in the background
Image fading, yellowing, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211710
* Photograph located on page 110 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
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Mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211718
* Photograph located on page 112 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
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Photograph shows a house that was cut in half and being repositioned before being rejoined
Image fading, torn, creased and cracked emulsion
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211715
* Photograph located on page 111 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing, mirroring, creased and cracked emulsion
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211719
* Photograph located on page 112 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211712
* Photograph located on page 110 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996
CS-Records ID: 211714
* Photograph located on page 111 of album
* Descriptive notes with print in Archives
published
Image fading, yellowing, mirroring
Donated by Ian Malcolm Bell-Irving in 1996