ARCHIVAL MOMENT
March 10, 1879
The Rooms – Home to the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labardor
On March 10, 1879 the editor of the St. John’s newspaper “The Temperance Journal” wrote
“let us have a bureau of history and statistics, where files of all our local newspapers shall be kept throughout the year for reference and then bound in yearly volumes. Where tables of our imports and exports, shipping, agriculture, and mines shall be kept, where meterorological registrations, and registers of births, marriages and deaths shall be kept.”
The Editor had some very definite ideas including suggesting a budget. He wrote
“Cost not to exceed three hundred per annum, including office rent, and everything.”
He also had some very particular ideas about the salary of the person who would take on the position. The Editor wrote
“Application for any “rise” on the part of the incumbent to be equivalent to instant dismissal.”
It would be some time before the voice of this local newspaper Editor would be heard. The responsibility for the safekeeping of these records was not delegated until 1898 when responsibility was given to the Colonial Secretary.
It was not until 1956 that a grant from the Carnegie Foundation of New York allowed a group of academics at Memorial University of Newfoundland to begin to collect, organize and describe various collections of historic government records.
In 1959 the Provincial Government passed the Historic Objects, Sites and Records Act which established the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL). At that point the records were transferred to PANL located in theColonialBuilding onMilitary Road.
In 2005 the Provincial Archives Division was established in The Rooms.
Recommended Arccival Collection: From the luxury of your home explore some of the archival collections that are held at The Rooms Provincial Archhives. Read More: http://www.therooms.ca/archives/
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