What's New

New Subject Guide: British West Indies

This guide provides a sample of the wide variety of materials in The Loyalist Collection relating to the the islands making up the West Indies, today referred to as the Caribbean, and specifically the British island colonies, with an overview of what they contain and how to search them. The material provides a window into this region during the 18th and early 19th centuries, and its place in the wider British Atlantic World.

Explore our interactive story map,"New Brunswick Loyalist Journeys!"

2022 - TWENTY NEW BIOGRAPHIES from St. John County and Kings County.

Note: Please update any bookmark links to our project to get the latest version. (Always available in the right side menu.)

Press Release

Events

June 1-4, 2023. “Where the Sea Meets the Sky," United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada Conference, Richmond, BC .

New Additions 2022/2023

Digital

• Great Britain. Colonial Office. Original Correspondence: Jamaica (CO 137): 1780-1787 - added volumes. Jamaica and Central American content.
• Great Britain. Colonial Office. Sessional Papers: Sierra Leone (CO 270): 1792-1801. Black Loyalist and Jamaican Maroon content.
• Great Britain. Treasury. Treasury Board Papers: Unregistered Papers (T 1/624-625): 1785. American loyalists content included.

Microfilm

• America. Massachusetts. Office of Secretary of State. Massachusetts Archives Collection: 1603-1789. Added volumes pertaining to Indigenous affairs.
• Great Britain. Colonial Office. Original Correspondence: New Hampshire (CO 5/934, 937-939): 1762-1775.
• Great Britain. Colonial Office. Original Correspondence: New Jersey  (CO 5/987-993) : 1762-1779.
• Great Britain. Colonial Office. Original Correspondence: South Carolina (CO 5/397): 1780-1784.
• New Brunswick Legislative Debates: 1837-1838, 1852, 1854-1858, 1860-1862, 1865-1867.
• Peters, Samuel. Manuscripts of Rev. Samuel Peters. Loyalist Connecticut Anglican minister's correspondence with other loyalists included.

Print

• Antliff, W. Bruce.  Index to Monetary Claims by American Loyalists: A New Index to Audit Office 12.
• Bessil-Watson, Lisa.  Handbook of Churches in the Caribbean.
• Burgess, Ross and Ruth.  Granville Township Book.
• Burgess, Ross and Ruth.  Wilmot Township Book.
• Davis, John David.  Bergen County New Jersey Deed Records, 1689-1801.
• Edkins, Jo.  The Diary of Rev Frederick Dibblee.
• Feldman, Lawrence H. The Last Days of British Saint Augustine, 1784-1785.
• Hart, Linda and Nelson Labor. Kings County Churches: A Brief History of the Churches of Kings County, Nova Scotia.
• Hutchinson, Richard S. Burlington County, New Jersey: Deed Abstracts, Books A, B and C.
• Hutchinson, Richard S. East New Jersey Land Records 1766 -1772, Books D3, E3, and F3.
• Hutchinson, Richard S. East New Jersey Land Records 1772-1791, Books G3 and H3.
• Ingram, K.E. Manuscript Sources for the History of the West Indies.
• James, W.H. Exuma: The Loyalist Years, 1783-1834.
• Macniven, Robbie.  British Light Infantry in the American Revolution.
• Manson, Stuart Lyall.  Sacred Ground: Loyalist Cemeteries of Eastern Ontario, volume 1.
• McConnell, Brian. Old St. Edward's Church & the Loyalists.
• McConnell, Brian. The United Empire Loyalists & You.
• Murray, Sonia Bennett.  They Came to Belize, 1750: compiled from Records of Jamaica, the Mosquito Shore, and Belize at the British & Belize National Archives.
• Palmer, Arnold E. In Their Footsteps: A 500 Year Genealogical Odyssey.
• Salter, Robert W. Loyalists & Planters of Minas Basin.
• Saunders, Gail.  Bahamian Loyalists and Their Slaves.
• Schulze, Lorine McGinnis.  Guide to Finding a Loyalist Ancestor in Upper Canada (Ontario).
• Sloane, Eric.  Museum of Early American Tools.
• Whitfield, Harvey Amani. Biographical Dictionary of Enslaved Black People in the Maritimes.

CD

• Kings Historical Society (Kentville, Nova Scotia). Kings County Township Records.

New Additions 2021/22

Print

• Anderson, Patricia Abelard. Frederick County Maryland: Land Records Abstracts 1779-1784.
• Brown, George S. Yarmouth Nova Scotia Genealogies: Transcribed from the Yarmouth Herald.
• Davidson, Stephen.  Black Loyalists in New Brunswick.
• Kings County Historical Society (Kentville, NS).  Kings County Deeds Index. (CD)
• Kings County Historical Society (Kentville, NS). Kings County Probate Records. (CD)
• Miller, Christine.  A Guide to 18th Century Military Medicine in Colonial America.
• Peterkin, A and William Johnston.  Commissioned Officers in the Medical Services of the British Army, 1660-1960, Volume 1 & 2.

New Research Aids

2022/2023

A PDF transcription of David R. Facey-Crowther’s "The New Brunswick Militia Commissioned Officers' Lists (1787-1867)" is available in catalogue records associated with the New Brunswick Militia.  NEW BRUNSWICK MILITIA COMMISSIONED OFFICERS LISTS 1787-1867.pdf

New Brunswick. Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace (York County).  Minutes: 1789-1841. Nominal index with date and page numbers available from 1789-1826 in electronic finding aid section in twenty-four parts.

New Brunswick. Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace (St. John County). Minutes: 1812-1839. Formatted transcription of Minutes from 1812 to 1828 available in six parts as PDF files in the electronic finding aids section.

New Brunswick. Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace (Northumberland County). Minutes: 1789-1807.  Formatted transcription of Minutes from 1789 to 1807 available as a PDF file in the electronic finding aids section.

New Brunswick. Court of the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace (Charlotte County). Minutes: 1820 - 1881.  Nominal index with date and page numbers available in electronic finding aid section in eight parts.

New Brunswick. Court of the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace (Sunbury County). Minute and Docket Book: 1785 - 1834. Nominal index listed chronologically and including date and page number available as multiple PDFs in electronic finding aid section.

New Brunswick. Court of the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace (Kings County)  Minutes: 1815-1872.  Formatted transcription of Minutes from 1819 to 1855 available in six parts as PDF files in the electronic finding aids section.

New Brunswick. Court of the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace (Northumberland County) Marriage Registers: 1806-1837.  Finding aid indexing names, dates, location, and page reference of all marriage records.  (Lists arranged by marriage license number, please search each sheet for names and zoom in for details on PDF).

New Brunswick. Court of the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace. (Charlotte County) Marriage Register: 1789-1839. Finding aid indexing names, dates, location, and page reference of all marriage records.

America. Massachusetts. Office of Secretary of State. Massachusetts Archives Collection: 1603-1789. Added volumes pertaining to Indigenous affairs with digital documents lists available.

Amherst, Jeffery. Official Papers and Correspondence: 1740-1783. Digital document lists and index, and link to online edition available.

Chalmers, George. Letters: 1728-1818. Digital document lists and transcription available for some sections.

Great Britain. Church of England. Dioces of London. Bishop. Fulham Papers at Lambeth Palace Library: 1626-1822. Link to online calendar with document summaries available.

Great Britain. Treasury. Treasury Board Papers: Unregistered Papers (T 1/624-625): 1785. Digital document lists available.

Henry E. Huntington Library.  Collection: 1776-1781. Transcription of the Committee of Safety Minute Book, Duchess, County, New York, December 1777-April 1778.

Hewitt, William. Papers: 1756--1790. Digital document summaries available for certain section.

Pitt, William. Papers of William Pitt the younger: 1774-1806. Digital document summaries available for certain section.

2020/2021

Journals of the Assembly of Jamaica: 1664-1826: Indexes for volumes 7-12 and detailed contents for volume 7 (Feb. 26-June 12, 1782) and volume 9 (Nov. 27-Dec. 18, 1795) (available via the catalogue record).

Material Relating to the West Indies from the Senhouse Papers: 1762-1831: Transcription of  Joseph Senhouse's "Memoirs of Dominica," 1772 (available via the catalogue record).

Nova Scotia. Legislative Council. Petitions, Reports, Resolutions, and Miscellaneious Papers: 1760-1841. Catalogues or listing of papers for volumes 286-288 (1760 Dec.-1816 Feb.) and (available via the catalogue record).

Original Correspondence: West Indies (CO 318): 1699-1830: Document list for volumes 3, 31, 32, 76, and 83 (available via the catalogue record).

Original Correspondence: Jamaica (CO 137): 1781-1784:  Document lists for volumes 81-2 and 84  (available via the catalogue record).

Vassall, William. Letter Books: 1769-1800. Summary of letters for 1790-1792 April 3 (available via the catalogue record).