Fonds MC223 - Anglican Diocese of Fredericton

Title proper

Anglican Diocese of Fredericton

General material designation

  • Textual record

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Fonds

Reference code

CA PANB MC223

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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

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Physical description

c.150 metres of textual records.
Most of the records are textual but this fonds also includes a significant volume of architectual plans, maps, photographs, a few tapes - both audiovisual and solely, audio, and 122 microfilms.

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Name of creator

(Diocese created in 1845 (originally part of the Diocese of Nova Scotia))

Administrative history

The Anglican Diocese of Fredericton was created on April 25, 1845 by Letters Patent and was initially part of the Diocese of Nova Scotia. The Anglican Church has been present in New Brunswick since 1768 when the Rev. John Eagleson was sent by the British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts to minister to the people living in the Tantramar area of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

The first Bishop to serve the Diocese of Fredericton was John Medley, who arrived in Fredericton on June 10, 1845 and continued to serve as Bishop until his death in September 1892. Born in Chelsea, England in 1804, John Medley was educated at Oxford University and was serving as Vicar at St. Thomas' Church in Exeter at the time of his appointment as Bishop. Long-serving and energetic, Bishop Medley presided over the physical and spiritual growth of this Diocese and left a lasting imprint on the Diocese. Bishop Medley quickly established his presence by making regular visitation tours of the province and continued to exert his influence by championing the building of Christ Church Cathedral, 1845-1853, and by presiding over the building or modification of 100 church buildings in the architectural style (Gothic) of which he approved. He also promoted the creation of the Diocesan Synod, which held its first meeting in July 1868 and was incorporated in 1871. The Bishop’s Office and the Synod Office are located in Fredericton.

Sources: Parish Officer Handbook - Part 1, Diocese of Fredericton, https://nb.anglican.ca/resources/archives--207/pages/history-of-the-diocesan-archives

Custodial history

Prior to their agreement with PANB, the Diocesan records were preserved by individual Bishops. A Committee on Safe-Keeping of Parochial Registers in 1887 identified a number of records preserved throughout the nineteenth century. In 1908, a fire-proof vault was built at Christ Church Cathedral and church records were collected and placed there, including Diocesan Church Society records, Synod Journals, Church Registers and other parish records. The Diocesan Archives was found in June 1963 through the efforts of Archbishop Harold Nutter and run by the Diocesan Archives Committee and Diocesan Archivist. The Diocesan Archives were located in the Cathedral safe in Cathedral Hall until 1988 when the Diocesan Synod and Provincial Archivist entered an agreement for PANB to provided maintenance, preservation, and reference services in the long-term.

Scope and content

This fonds contains the records created by the organizations and clergy of the Diocese of Fredericton - including the Bishops, the Diocesan Synod and its predecessor, the Diocesan Church Society, the Deaneries, the Cathedral and the Parishes.

However, it is the latter, the Parishes, which have generated the bulk of the records contained herein. Records produced by the Parishes include the Parish Registers (of Baptisms, Marriages, Burials and Confirmations), records of the Corporation (Vestry), statistical Registers of Services (now called Vestry Books), correspondence and financial records, land deeds and consecration and other legal records, parish histories, photographs etc. Any Parish's records may include some or all of the above and more.

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

These records have been transferred to the Archives by representatives of each Parish at various times.

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Restrictions on access

Restrictions are three-fold.

  1. Parish Registers are available on Microfilm Only. The Register will not have been microfilmed if it covers dates within the restricted periods.

  2. Recent Parish Registers are restricted by the Diocesan Council, Anglican Diocese of Fredericton as follows:

Baptisms and Marriages are available up to and including the year, 1955.

Burials and Confirmations are available up to and including the year, 1985.

  1. Copying of entire Registers (or a large portion thereof) shall not be permitted. Registers may not be published without the permission of the Diocesan Archives and the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

See Appendix "C" of the Privacy Policy of the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton (which follows) or: www.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

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Detailed Inventory is available.

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