In 1962 the Vancouver branch of the World Ship Society purchased the SS Master, the last surviving steam powered tugboat built in British Columbia in 1922. In April 1971, the World Ship Society, finding it increasingly difficult under its charter to maintain the Master, turned her over to a newly formed group called the Society for the Preservation of the Steam Towboat Master, a volunteer group dedicated for the sole purpose of preserving the vessel. In May, 1985, the name was changed to the S.S. Master Society. Since the 1980s, the S.S. Master Society has received funding from individuals, corporations, local municipal government, and several federal government programs to aid in her restoration, upkeep, and participation in maritime festivals. The SS Master serves as a tribute to the tugboat industry on Canada’s West Coast and was at one time one of the distinct vessels anchored in the Vancouver Maritime Museum’s Heritage Harbour.

The S.S. Master Society maintains a website with photographs, a calendar of SS Master events, historical facts, and membership information. As of 2017, the website can be found at www.ssmaster.org

The records were processed in May 2005 by Lisa Beitel, a professional Archivist, on request of the S.S. Master Society. A second accrual of records was processed in March 2006. The records have been arranged by subject into series. Within each series, records have been arranged chronologically in order to facilitate the removal of duplicate reports and printed materials.