Accessing Colonial Secretary's records online

About the guide

The correspondence of the Colonial Secretary is one of the most valuable sources of information on all aspects of the history of the Colony and the State of New South Wales. The correspondence from 1788-1825 has been indexed and digitised and is available in the Index to Colonial Secretary's Papers 1788-1825. Some of the Colonial Secretary’s Correspondence and related records between 1826-1900 have also been digitised and are available online via Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. This guide aims to assist users in browsing these online collections.

It is strongly recommended that you read this together with the Colonial Secretary’s correspondence guide

We are delighted to make this guide available online with the kind permission of the author Clive Smith and the Port Macquarie & Districts Family History Society inc.

Page 1 of a petition to the Colonial Secretary NRS 905 1-2231 letter 73-7867 for the mitigation of the gaol sentence of Thomas Toser, previously convicted of stealing a bullock from Timothy O'Mara in 1873. Three pages of signatures include Dalgety

Colonial Secretary: an overview

The long history of the Office of the Colonial (later Chief) Secretary meant that it was responsible for the creation of records of major importance to all researchers

Building on Bridge Street Sydney taken c1900

Colonial Secretary's correspondence guide

The correspondence of the Colonial Secretary is one of the most valuable sources of information on all aspects of the history of the Colony and the State of New South Wales

Chief Secretary's building in Sydney, undated

Colonial Secretary letters received, 1826-1896

This webinar explores how to search the index to the records, what you may find and how to access the records

Portrait of an unidentified family

Family history guide

Tracing your family history is always easier working from the present to the past