The British and Foreign Bible Society was established in 1804 in England for the purpose of translating and producing Bibles in vernacular languages for distribution to missions throughout the world. The Society grew rapidly as local groups, called auxiliaries, formed in England, Europe and North America. An Auxiliary formed in Victoria in 1872, and a Vancouver Branch met in 1899. In 1904 the Canadian Bible Society, also an auxiliary, was established, and by 1961 became the national umbrella organization for all districts and branches in Canada. Initially each branch had a respresentative on the auxiliary board that, along with elected officers, governed the auxiliary; this later changed to an all elected board as the former governance arrangement became unwieldy. The Ladner Branch of the British Columbia Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society formed in 1908. Officers of the Ladner Branch have included Mr. F. Emerson, Mrs. E. R. (Edith) Bell (who served as secretary for 20 years), Miss Edna Grant, Mrs. S. F. Harris, Mr. W. H. Vanoostendorp, Dugald Morrison (who served as president for 20 years), Miss Viola Wallace, Bertha Reynolds, Mrs. N. Harris, and Mrs. Bert Nottingham. Ministers of local Protestant churches also served on the local board as Vice-Presidents. The main activities of the organization were fund raising in an annual appeal, and educating the public about the importance of the Bible Society's work through lectures, films and mailed packages of information. A joint service of local Protestant churches was held annually in alternate churches from 1942 to 1969 to support the Bible Society and in recognition of the ecumenical spirit of its work. The Ladner and South Delta branches combined in 1965 to form the Ladner-South Delta Branch of the Canadian Bible Society.