Historical Records of the City of Hamilton

Introduction

For more detail and reference, please see Carolyn Gray, Historical Records of the City of Hamilton, 1847–1973, and City of Hamilton Finding Aid.

Hamilton was first incorporated in 1833, and was a police village from 1833-1846.  In 1846, legislation was passed and Hamilton became a city on January 1, 1847.  The majority of the city records start in 1847, but some documents date from earlier. 

In 1875, a By-law on Public Health was passed, which lead to the creation of a Medical Officer of Health (MOH) and created a permanent position of Health Inspector.  In 1884, City Council established the Hamilton Board of Health, which acted as an advisory body for creating policy.  A civic Health Department was responsible for enforcing policy.  The MOH was the Executive Officer of the Health Department, and supervised sanitary work, bookkeeping, and prepared monthly accounts for the city and province.

The early hospitals in Hamilton were often short-lived and related to the ebbs and flows of immigration.  In 1849, City Council decided to establish a permanent hospital facility that was also a House of Industry for the poor.  This hospital opened in the 1850s, and by 1857, had changed to a House of Refuge for destitute women and children.  A new City Hospital opened in 1882.

Sewer construction began in the 1840s, and in 1854, the city authorized construction of a waterworks in Hamilton in response to the second cholera epidemic.  In 1856, a Board of Waterworks Commissioners was established, with responsibility for “supplying the city … with a sufficient quantity of pure and wholesome water for the use of its inhabitants.”  The City Engineer was responsible for overseeing the Waterworks and Sewer Departments, and later building, electrical, drain inspection, and garbage collection.  In 1860, the Prince of Wales inaugurated the Hamilton Waterworks.

In February 1847, the five member Fire Committee of City Council reported that an official fire department was necessary for the city.  Throughout the 1850s, the volunteer fire department expanded.  The early fire department, “Fire Brigade” and the City Council Fire Committee often clashed, especially over who the Department chose as Chief Engineer.  In 1859, City Council refused to ratify the Department’s choice of Chief Engineer, and the Department disbanded.  City By-laws in the 1860s put the Chief Engineer under the control of the Fire Committee.  City Council decided that a paid, trained force under the supervision of a professional Chief Engineer was a requirement for the city.  In 1879, despite the objections of many volunteers, a permanent force was established.

Hamilton’s Act of Incorporation permitted a Chief Constable of Police and an original force of a High Bailiff/Chief Constable and sub-constables.  During periods of civic cutbacks, constables also acted as Health Officers.  By 1857, the Police Department had 29 members and was the largest part of the city bureaucracy.  In 1872, responsibility for the force was moved from the Police and Fire Committee of City Council to a Board of Police Commissioners.  The Board was composed of the mayor, the police magistrate, and the senior County Court Judge.  The Commission was in charge of the administration of the police force, organization, personnel matters, and discipline.

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Research Hints for the City Records:

• City Council Minutes and By-laws contain useful material related to health, hospitals, police, fire, and waterworks, especially for the 19^th century.  Researchers should use these records in conjunction with more specific records.
• City Clerk records are unique and useful.  The City Clerk was secretary for the Boards of Health and Education, the Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, and the Clerk of the Police Commission.  Hamilton City Clerks held office for a long period of time, and there have only beenseven City Clerks since 1847.
• Police Court Proceedings contain documentation of prostitution and public order (e.g. drunkenness, vagrancy).

 

The Historical Records of the City of Hamilton include:

• City Council Minutes, 1833-present
• By-Laws, 1847-1973
• City Council Committees, 1888-1964
• Mayor, 1847-present
• Board of Control, 1910-1975
• City Clerk, 1798-1973
• City Solicitor’s Department, 1877-1973;
• Treasury, 1847-1973
• Assessment Department, 1847-1975
• Police Department, 1859-1973
• Fire Department, 1859-1973
• Health Department, 1884-1968
• Hospitals, 1896-1957
• Personnel Department, no dates;
• Building Department, 1940-present;
• Engineering and Works, 1854-1973
• Industrial Commissioner, 1910-1951;
• Parks, 1900-1973;
• Culture & Recreation, 1918-1973;
• Architect’s Department, 1966-1972;
• Planning Department, 1917-1973
• Traffic Department, 1956-1973;
• Real Estate Department, 1957-1973;
• Community Development Department, 1960-1975;
• Purchasing Department, 1950-present;
• Property Department, no dates;

The Historical Records of the City of Hamilton include:

• • City Council Minutes, 1833-present City Council Minutes cover all areas of Council business and city administration, including finances, personnel, and internal services.  The Council minutes detail the activities of the legislative branch of city government and include information that cannot always be found within other city department records.  For example, early 19^th century minutes include detailed hospital accounts that are not in the Hospital records.  The Library contains microfilmed copies of the minutes from 1833–1984, and printed copies from 1985–2000.

• • By-Laws, 1847-1973 By-laws records are also a valuable source for researchers, as they cover everything from personnel matters to public health and public works.  They are a useful resource to be used on their own, or in conjunction with other city department records.  The By-laws records date from 1847 to the present, with a Revised By-laws document covering 1847–1910.

• • City Council Committees, 1888-1964The collection contains the records of a variety of City Council Committees, from 1888–1964.  This includes the Hospital and House of Refuge Committee Minutes, 1890–1908; the Parks and Cemetery Committee Minutes, 1984–1899; the Fire, Police and Jail Committee Correspondence, 1913–1916; and the Fire, Police and Jail Committee Minutes, 1909, among others.
    • Hospital and House of Refuge Committee Minutes contain personnel matters, such as staffing, hiring, salaries, and employee discipline, as well as the creation of policies regarding hospital patients and staff.  The records include details about maintaining and furnishing the Hospital and House of Refuge, as well as details describing the transition of Hospital management from a committee of Council to a Board of Governors. 
    • Parks and Cemetery Committee Minutes detail the administration of city parks and cemeteries, including maintenance, salaries, and change in management from a Council committee to a Board of Parks and Cemetery Management. 
    • Fire, Police and Jail Committee Correspondence include information on fire station maintenance, salaries, expenditures, uniforms, accounts, and finances.

• • Mayor, 1847-presentMayor’s office records at the Library include clippings, photographs and other information concerning all of Hamilton’s mayors from Colin Campbell Ferrie in 1847 to the 21^st century.  In the 19^th century, Hamilton mayors sat on a number of civic boards, including the Police Commission and Board of Health.  They also offered charity, such as the guardianship of orphans and vagrant children in the mid-19^th century.  Individual mayors often left an impact on the city, such as Charles Magill, Mayor from 1854–55, who advocated for the construction of the waterworks.

• • Board of Control, 1910-1975;

• • City Clerk, 1798-1973City Clerk records include Deeds and Maps, Property Purchase Agreements, Record of Service of Local Improvement Notices, Local Improvement books, and Marriage Licenses, among others.  The City Clerk was secretary for the Boards of Health and Education, the Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, and the Clerk of the Police Commission.  Hamilton City Clerks held office for a long period of time, and there have only been seven City Clerks since 1847.

• • City Solicitor’s Department, 1877-1973;

• • Treasury, 1847-1973The large Treasury records include journals, ledgers, Sewer Rent Rolls, Meter Water Rolls, Local Improvement Ledgers, Local Improvement Completion Book, Financial Statements, and Insurance Registrars, among others.
    • Sewer Rent Rolls, from 1892–1910, include the names of the occupant and of the owner, the street number of the house, the amount of rent, and notations concerning payment.   
    • Water Meter Roll, from 1924, is organized alphabetically by business and institutional categories, ranging from Aerated Water Manufacturers to Separate Schools.  The information provided includes the name of occupant, the type of meter, meter readings and water consumption, rates, rental and size of the meter, and the amount payable.

• • Assessment Department, 1847-1975The records of the Assessment Department, 1847–1975, contain Assessment Rolls, Local Improvement Assessment Rolls, Annual Reports, Letterbook, and Scrapbooks.  In 1969, the Province of Ontario took control of the Assessment Department.
    • Assessment Rolls are a valuable resource to historians and genealogists.  They provide detail of property and ownership, livestock, vehicle, and building information, and list the value of the property. 
    • Local Improvement Assessment Rolls, 1902–1944, include assessments for roadways, cement sidewalks, sewers, and sidewalks and curbs. 

• • Police Department, 1859-1973The records of the Police Department, beginning in 1859, include many series, such as Annual Reports, Rules and Regulations, Police Court Proceedings, Prisoners’ Indexes, Juvenile Court Registers, Miscellaneous Photographs, and Accident Books.
    • Annual Reports contain a variety of statistical information related to policing in Hamilton, such as numbers of personnel, lists of court cases by category of offence, and comparative yearly statements outlining the incidence of offences. Some annual reports contain sections on strikes and labor disputes. 
    • Police Court Proceedings list the names of the defendant and the plaintiff, the offence, the date of the offence, and the disposition of the case.  These records contain information on public drunkenness, prostitution, begging, public nuisance, and vagrancy.
    • Juvenile Court Registers, 1919–1929, contain details regarding the complainant and charged party, including education and details about the charged party. 
    • Photographs collection, c. 1880–1973, cover a variety of subjects, such as the aftermath of the 1906 Hamilton Street Railway Strike, Police Stations, Police Women, Chief Constables, Training Classes, and the Hamilton Police Amateur Athletic Association. 

• • Fire Department, 1859-1973Fire Department records, c. 1859–1973, include Annual Reports, Minutes, Central Station Register, Induction Register, Newspaper Clippings, Training Manuals, and Fire Alarms and Records of Losses by Fire for 1877–1884.
    • Central Station Register was a miscellaneous record book for the Chief Engineer, containing detailed information for the Fire Department, sick lists, fire statistics, and issues regarding personnel.  The historical records of the Hamilton Fire Department allow for an analysis of the professionalization of the force, and detail the relationships between the Department and City Council.

• • Health Department, 1884-1968The records of the Health Department, 1884–1968, include Minutes, Annual Reports, and Surveys and Reports.  The Hamilton Board of Health was established by City Council in 1884 to help the Mayor enforce By-laws related to the preservation of the health of the city and “to prevent the spread of infectious and other pestilent diseases.”  The Board of Health was closely linked to increased immigration in Hamilton and the high rates of disease.  In 1875, a By-law on Public Health was passed, leading to the creation of a Medical Officer of Health (MOH) and creating a permanent position of Health Inspector.  After 1884, the Board of Health acted as an advisory body for creating policy and a civic Health Department was responsible for enforcement.  The MOH was Executive Officer of the Health Department, supervising sanitary work, overseeing bookkeeping, and preparing monthly accounts for the province and the city.  Dr James Roberts, MOH from 1905–1940, was a reformer and expanded the actions of the Department extensively.
    • Minutes, 1884–1945, contain information related to the formulation of policy by the Board of Health and the administration and operations of the Health Department.  The Minutes include finance information, petitions and complaints, discussion and decisions concerning the provision and expansion of health services in the city, applications for sanitary facilities in homes, and recommendations made to the Board by the MOH. 
    • Annual Reports, 1904–1968, contain the annual or bi-annual reports of the MOH to the Board of Health and City Council.  These reports include information about the activities of the Health Department and the recommendations of the MOH to improve and expand services.  The reports examine health concerns in the city, such as infant mortality, housing conditions, and the outbreak of epidemics, and often contain analyses concerning current medical theories and practices.  The reports also include statistical examinations and summaries of the state of public health in Hamilton, providing detailed information about the causes of death in the city and incidence of contagious diseases.
    • Surveys and Reports record, 1932–1961, consists of four reports/surveys prepared for the Board of Health and City Council.
      • 1. “Report of the Medical Officer of Hamilton on the Amalgamation of Health Services in the City of Hamilton, 5 November 1932”—discusses the duplication of health services, with a particular focus on child welfare.
      • 2. “A Survey of Health Activities in the City of Hamilton, September 1933”—deals with the amalgamation of the Babies’ Dispensary Guild, the health services of the Board of Education, and the Board of Health.
      • 3. “Report on Housing Conditions” from June 1938—examines the occurrence of unsanitary dwellings in the city, the importance of structural safety, and providing sanitary facilities.
      • 4. “A Survey of Health Activities in the City of Hamilton, December 1961”—report was financed by the federal government and was designed as a blueprint for future public health services in Hamilton.
    • Researchers should also examine the City Council Minutes in conjunction with the Board of Health records, especially for material pre-1884.

• • Hospitals, 1896-1957The records of the Hospitals, 1896–1957, include Board of Governors Minutes, By-laws, Committee Reports, Reports and Studies, and Medical Advisory Council Minutes.  Early hospitals in Hamilton were seasonal, and were built to help with an overflow of immigrants, but closed shortly thereafter.  In 1849, City Council decided to establish a permanent hospital facility that also acted as a House of Industry for the poor.  The new hospital opened in the 1850s and was funded by city taxes, provincial grants, and money from the Great Western Railway.  In 1857, the hospital was changed to a House of Refuge for destitute women and children.  In December 1861, City Council established a new Hospital Committee with a member from each ward.  In 1882, the new City Hospital opened with the ability to accommodate approximately 100 patients.  In 1890, a nursing school at Civic (General) Hospital  was established.  In the early 20^th century, the hospital was constantly expanding.  In 1962, control of the hospitals transitioned from the city and was given to a new, independent corporation, the Board of Governors of the Hamilton Civic Hospitals.
    • Board of Governors Minutes, 1896–1952, contains the minutes of the Hospital Board of Governors detailing the non-medical operations and administration of the Civic Hospitals.  Pre-1890 material can be found in the City Council Minutes.
    • By-laws, 1896–1925, deal with the operation of the Civic Hospitals.
    • Committee Reports, 1928–1952, contain the reports made to the Hospital Board of Governors by the Finance Committee, the House and Property committee, and the Joint Building Committee.  These include finance and maintenance information and medical and surgical services.
    • Reports and Studies records include two reports by outside consultants who analyzed the provision of hospital services in Hamilton.
      • “A Study of Hamilton General Hospital, 1946”
      • “An Expansion Program for the Hamilton General Hospital, 1955, 1957”
    • Medical Advisory Council Minutes, 1942–1948, contain the minutes of the Medical Advisory Council, which was composed of physicians affiliated with the Civic Hospitals, who made recommendations to the Board of Governors concerning medical matters.

• • Personnel Department, no dates;

• • Building Department, 1940-present;

• • Engineering and Works, 1854-1973Engineering and Works records contain Annual Reports, Waterworks Reports, Sewer Agreements, Sewer Connection Books, Waterworks Daybook, Site Photographs, and Scrapbooks, among others.  A Surveyor/Engineer was first appointed in 1847, with initial duties of investigating citizen grievances, removing obstructions in streets, and estimating the cost of sewer construction.  In 1856, a Board of Waterworks Commissioners was established, with responsibility for “supplying the city … with a sufficient quantity of pure and wholesome water for the use of its inhabitants.”  The City Engineer was responsible for overseeing the Waterworks and Sewer Departments, and later building, electrical, drain inspection, and garbage collection.  The Engineering and Works department continued to expand as the city developed.
    • Annual Reports City Engineer, 1898–1959, include the reports of the Waterworks, Sewers, and Street Commissioner’s Departments, as well as the Parks Committee and some reports of the Building Inspector.  The reports provide details concerning major improvements in urban services and technical information concerning the workings of the Waterworks.
    • Waterworks Reports, 1854–1860, consist of a collection of reports related to the construction of a waterworks system for Hamilton.
    • Sewer Agreements consist of approximately 75,000 requests to the City Engineer to connect properties into the city sewer system.
    • Sewer Connection Books, 1910–1933, list new sewer connections for Hamilton residences.  These are organized chronologically.
    • Waterworks Department Daybook, 1857–1860, was kept by the City Engineer and records employee pay information and lists expenditures by the department for transportation, supplies, and services.
    • Site Photographs, 1926–1962, are technical photographs illustrating properties and projects of the Engineer’s Department, such as the water filtration plant.
    • Works Scrapbooks, 1954–1973, contain clippings from local newspapers dealing with all aspects of Works Department activities, especially garbage and snow removal.

• • Industrial Commissioner, 1910-1951;

• • Parks, 1900-1973;

• • Culture & Recreation, 1918-1973;

• • Architect’s Department, 1966-1972;

• • Planning Department, 1917-1973Planning Department records, 1917–1973, include Reports and Transportation Survey, Urban Renewal and Redevelopment Studies and Files, Neighbourhood Files, and Aerial Photographs, and more.  In the early 20^th century, City Council created a Commission on City Planning and Better Housing.
    • Reports and Transportation Surveys, 1917–1971, include a series of reports and surveys laying the groundwork for the establishment of the Hamilton Planning Board.
    • Urban Renewal and Redevelopment Studies and Files, 1958–1972, contain correspondence, housing surveys, maps, and photographs.
    • Neighbourhood Files, 1971–1973, contain material related to a variety of neighbourhoods and includes questionnaires surveying aspects of neighbourhood life.
    • Aerial Photographs taken in 1971.

• • Traffic Department, 1956-1973;

• • Real Estate Department, 1957-1973;

• • Community Development Department, 1960-1975;

• • Purchasing Department, 1950-present;

• • Property Department, no dates;