Business and company records
A brief overview of the main sources in our collection that relate to business and companies.
Administrative background
Company Regulation began in the Deeds Registration Branch of the Registrar General (established 1857) and involved authorising local and foreign companies to operate in New South Wales.
The Companies Act of 1874 placed the responsibility of company registration with the Registrar General until a Registrar of Joint Stock Companies was appointed.[i] The Registrar-General continued to hold this position until 1937.[ii] The Registrar maintained a register of Public Companies (later known as Liability Companies) from 1874, and under the No Liability Mining Companies Act 1881, was required to maintain a register of No Liability Mining Companies.
In 1955 the Registrar General established a separate Companies Branch.[iii] The Companies Act 1961 (Act No. 71 1961) established a Registrar of Companies.[iv] In preparation for this change the Companies Branch (1955-1962) was physically removed from the Registrar General's Department on 19 February 1962.[v] Company Regulation subsequently came under the control of the Companies Office (1962-1971) and Corporate Affairs Commission (1971-1990) before it ceased to be a state activity in 1991, when the Australian Securities Commission (a federal body), took over responsibility for company legislation and regulation.
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) now manages and administers business names registration.
Searching for business and company records
Business and Company records are arranged by a company or business number. Records may also be indexed by the name of the owner or by the name of the business or company.
If you do not know the name of the owner, business or company then you can start your search on the National Library of Australia’s Trove website. It is possible that there is a NSW Government Gazette notice or a newspaper article that may assist your research.
Other records such as the Sands Directory should also be checked for information on businesses.
Company packets, 1875-1975
Company packets cover companies that were registered after 1875 and ceased trading by 1977. Company packets are held over three main series:
- NRS 12951, Documents lodged under Companies Acts [Company Packets], 1875-1975,
- NRS 16382, Documents lodged under Companies Acts for No-Liability Mining Companies [Company Packets], 1880-1975, and
- NRS 16383, Documents lodged under Companies Acts for Foreign Companies [Company Packets], 1907-1975.
The packets are listed by the number and the name of the company. You can search for the name of the company across these three series using the Collection Search window on our homepage.
Each of these three series contains documents relating to companies incorporated in New South Wales. There is one packet for each company with a contents list on the outside. Under the 1874 Act, specific documents had to be delivered to the Registrar in order to register a company. Each packet contains information required for submission under the various Companies Acts; Memorandum and articles of association; Annual list and summary of shareholders; Registered address of company; agreements; Mortgages and details of liquidation. There is also included a history sheet of administrative action taken in respect of each company. You will find a detailed list of the documents required to be lodged by companies on our webpage for NRS 12951, Company Packets.
In addition to the documents required above, No-Liability Mining Companies and Foreign Companies had to submit substantially greater number documents in order to register a company. Lists of the additional documents they had to provide are available on our webpages for NRS 16382, No-Liability Mining Companies and NRS 16383, Foreign Companies Company Packets.
Our holdings of company packets is incomplete.
The company packets are not the records of the operation of businesses. Businesses may maintain their own archives. Some business records are collected by archival institutions for example the Noel Butlin Archives, and some may be lodged with the NSW State Library.
Dead Companies Index Pre 1969
Where there is no company packet you may find the company number in the Dead Companies Index Pre-1969. This lists registered companies that were deregistered prior to 1969. This index is available in our Reading Room as COD 534 A-C and gives: Registration number; Company name; Incorporation date and dissolution date. If you locate the name of a relevant company make a note of the Registration number (next to the company name).
This index corresponds with NRS 12949, Registers of Companies, 1874-1937 and the Company Packets described above.
NRS 12949, Registers of Companies, 1874-1937
The information recorded in this series varies slightly over time, but the following information can be found in the register: company name; Company number; capital; Date of registration; Memorandum of association; Articles; Agreement; Increase of capital; List of shareholders; Special resolutions; Registered office; Name of secretary or manager; Winding up; Judge’s orders; Appointment of liquidator and liquidators report.
NRS 12961, Registers of Firms, 1903-1922
The registration of companies, according to the Companies Act, 1899, was undertaken by such registrars, assistant registrars, clerks and servants as the Governor thought necessary. Between 1899 and 1955, the function of company registration was administered by the Companies and Firms Division of the Deeds Branch of Registrar General's Department. In conjunction with administering the Companies Act this Branch was also responsible for legislation concerning the registration of business names firstly, the Registration of Firms Act, No. 100, 1902 and secondly the Business Names Act, No 50, 1934.
The registers record the name of the firm; Nature of business; Packet number of papers; Place of business; Statement number; Date or registration; and details of persons carrying on the business. It should be noted that packets for firms recorded in these registers have not survived.
Our online Index to Registers of Firms draws from this series NRS 12961, Registers of firms under the Registration of Firms Act of 1902, 1903-1922. The index can be searched by the name/s of persons carrying on the business.
List of main record series
Corporate Affairs Commission
Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
NRS 1804[X626-27] | Declarations of Trustee CompaniesThe declarations (also known as "statistical compilations", "declarations of accounts" and "statements") contain half-yearly summaries of the liabilities, assets, amount of real and personal property administered, and investments and moneys held on trust, of certain Trustee Companies. | 1888-1964 |
Registrar General
Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Registers of Companies | 1874-1937 | |
NRS 12950[2/8373-80] | Public companies certificates of incorporation under Companies Acts of 1899 and prior Acts | 1890-1906 |
Documents lodged under Companies Acts [Company Packets] | 1875-1975 | |
NRS 12955[4/8365-68] | Register of public company documentsThe volumes record registered number, name of company, nature of document, date of registration. | 1891-1915 |
NRS 12956[4/10580-81] | Index – register of companies (Death duties)These volumes are indexes (one arranged alphabetically, the other numerically) of all companies registered under the Companies Act of 1899. | 1899-1943 |
NRS 12957[4/7826 A-B] | Documents registered in accordance with the provisions of the Companies (Death Duties) Act | 1899 and 1901 |
NRS 12961[2/8526-53] | Registers of firms under the Registration of Firms Act of 1902See the online Index to Registers of Firms. | 1903-1922 |
Memoranda and articles of association, rules of societies, companies, etc.The series contains Memoranda and Articles of Association from a variety of bodies corporate throughout Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, most of which were involved in banking and investment, land acquisition and development, life assurance, and mining. The documents are searchable by the name of each entity, in our catalogue. | 1880-1962 | |
Registers of memoranda and articles of associationThis series registers memoranda and articles of association. Each volume commences with an index containing the name of the entity and its reference number. This is followed by a chronological register of entities, in order of the date the documents were lodged. | 1881-1962 | |
Documents lodged under Companies Acts for No-Liability Mining Companies [Company Packets] | 1880-1975 | |
Documents lodged under Companies Acts for Foreign Companies [Company Packets] | 1907-1975 | |
Business Names Registration recordsMicroform copies of documents and databases relating to the registration of business names in New South Wales. The series includes application forms to register business names, renewals of registration, changes in details, cessation of business and administrative correspondence.There are consolidated indexes to these records. These indexes are closed to public access (consignment 3, containers 89-90).Part of this series is closed. Please contact Ask an Archivist for further assistance. | 1902-1996 |
Supreme Court of NSW, Registrar in Bankruptcy
Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
NRS 13654[2/8650-10411] | Insolvency filesIf the insolvent owned a business or company, a list of the assets may be included in the file.Check our online indexes to Insolvency.For further information see our Bankruptcy/Insolvency Guide. | 1842-1887 |
NRS 13655[10/22500-4400] | Bankruptcy filesIf the bankrupt owned a business or company, a list of the assets may be included in the file.Check our online indexes to Bankruptcy records.For further information see our Bankruptcy/Insolvency Guide. | 1888-1929 |
Stamp Duties Office
Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Deceased estate filesIf the deceased owned a business or company, a list of the assets may be included in the file.Check our online indexes to Deceased estate files.For further information see our Deceased Estates Guide. | 1880-1959 |
Related record series
Additional records relating to businesses and companies may be found under the following agency headings in the Collection Search catalogue:
- Registrar General, Deeds Registration Branch
- Registrar General, Companies Branch
- Attorney General’s Department, Companies Office, and
- Corporate Affairs Commission.
You will also find records under the Activity Company Regulation.
Other organisations that hold business and company records
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
Business names registration is now managed and administered by ASIC. You can use their website to locate information about companies and individuals. See their Search Business Names Register.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
PO BOX 4000
Gippsland Mail Centre VIC 3841
Telephone: 1300 300 630
Ask online: http://www.asic.gov.au/about-asic/contact-us/ask-a-question/
Website: http://www.asic.gov.au/
Australian Business Register
The ABN Lookup provides access to non-sensitive information supplied by businesses when they register for an Australian Business Number (ABN): https://www.abr.business.gov.au/.
The Registrar
PO Box 3373
Penrith NSW 2740
Telephone: 1300 555 727
Further contact details: https://abr.gov.au/Contact-us/Contact-the-ABR/
National Archives of Australia
For Australian company and government bodies’ business records contact the National Archives of Australia.
National Archives of Australia
PO Box 7425
Canberra BC ACT 2610
Telephone: (02) 6212 3600
Email: ref@naa.gov.au
Website: www.naa.gov.au
Australian National University, Noel Butlin Archive Centre
The Noel Butlin Archive Centre focuses on collecting business and company records of Australian industries.Noel Butlin Archive Centre
ANU Archives Program, Division of Information
Building 2, Menzies Library
Australian National University
Canberra ACT 0200
Telephone: (02) 6125 2219
Email: butlin.archives@anu.edu.au
Website: http://archives.anu.edu.au/collections/noel-butlin-archives-centre/companies
NSW State Library
The NSW State Library also have information on their website. See the research guide Company & Industry Information on the Library’s website.
NSW State Library
Sydney NSW 2000
Telephone (02) 9273 1414
Email: library@sl.nsw.gov.au
Ask a Librarian
University of Melbourne Archives
The University of Melbourne Archives holds the archives of more than 300 Victorian businesses along with the personal papers of many individuals prominent within them. The businesses date from the earliest years of colonial Victoria to the present day and include the industrial sectors of manufacturing, retail and wholesale trade, transport and shipping, engineering and construction, legal and architectural firms, finance and property and pastoralists. Particular collection strengths are in the area of mining and metals treatment industry. This collection may be relevant for Victorian businesses that operated in NSW.
University of Melbourne Archives
The University of Melbourne
Melbourne VIC 3010
Telephone: (03) 8344 0590 or (03) 9035 4337
Email: archives@archives.unimelb.edu.au
Website: archives.unimelb.edu.au
Footnotes
i. Companies Act 37 Vic. No.19 (1874) Part 5, 222 (5).
ii. T. Le M. Wells, “The Practice of the Registrar-General’s Department (New South Wales)”, The Law Book Co. of Australasia, Sydney, 1953, p.135.
iii. Registrar General’s Report, 1955-1956, p.4.
iv. NSW Government Gazette, 9 February, 1962, p. 375.
v. NSW Government Gazette, 9 February, 1962, p. 375.