Mining petitions index

• Entries in the index: 7516

This index lists the names of signatories to petitions relating to mining.

Included in the index are several petitions relating to the Lambing Flat riots at Burrangong NSW between 1860 and 1861. Here, months of unrest and anti-Chinese sentiment among the Australian-born, European, and North American gold miners culminated in a significant confrontation at Lambing Flats on 30th June 1861. ^{[1], [2]}

Also included are petitions in support of the Frontage System as a method to regulate mining claims, and a petition from miners defined as “Aliens” (non- British subjects) under the Goldfields Act of 1861 ^[3]. This petition objects to Clause 5 and 8 of the Act which were seen as limiting the rights of “Aliens” in NSW goldfields.

In addition to the names of signatories, the date, locality in which the petition was created, and the occupation of the signatory (if given) is also listed in the index.

Note that given these are signatures, some names can be difficult to interpret.

Notes

[1] Schamberger, K., 2017, ‘Difficult History in a Local Museum: The Lambing Flat Riots at Young, New South Wales’, Australian Historical Studies, 48(3), pp. 436–441., viewed 28 Jul 2025, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1031461X.2017.1331693 .

[2] 1861, '[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] LAMBING FLAT.', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 2 July, p. 4. , viewed 28 Jul 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13067949 .

[3] 1862, The gold fields act ; and, Regulations of 1861., viewed 28 Jul 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-432851551

Use the catalogue links below to browse the images and read the preambles to the petitions:

NRS-905-1-[4/3483A]-62/5998 - Main series of Letters Received [Colonial Secretary] - Riots at Lambing Flat, Burrangong - petitions in support of William Spicer following his arrest during the riots, 1862

NRS-905-1-[4/3483B]-62/5998 - Main series of Letters Received [Colonial Secretary] - Riots at Lambing Flat, Burrangong - petition in support of William Spicer following his arrest during the riots - rolled petition, 1862

NRS-7933-1-[5/3673]-64/2663 - Lands Department Letters received - Riots at Lambing Flat, Burrangong – Chinese claims for compensation – petition claiming that compensation was awarded but payment had not been received, 1864

NRS-7933-1-[5/3634A]-62/13 - Lands Department Letters received - Lachlan Gold field - Petition in support of the Frontage System, 1862

NRS-7933-1-[5/3634B]-62/13 - Lands Department Letters received - Lachlan Gold field - Petition in support of the Frontage System - rolled petition, 1862

NRS-7933-1-[5/3637]-62/1780 - Lands Department Letters received - Letter No. 62/1780 – Petition from Aliens respecting clauses 5 and 8 of Gold fields Act 1861 - Forbes NSW, 1862

We are thrilled to be able to provide online access to the Mining Petitions Index (the Jean Little index).

This index is a valuable addition to our online finding aids our thanks go to the family of Jean little who have kindly granted permission for it to be published.

The index was initially started by the members of Forbes Family History Group, however, it proved challenging due to the illegibility of the signatures and the limited information to go on. Jean Little took up the challenge and spent a number of years of deciphering the many signatures of the men. This was a mammoth task made even more challenging by the fact that it appeared a number of them could barely write.

We would also like to acknowledge the work of Max Thomas who accessed and photographed the petitionson a memorable visit to the State Archives Collection in 2010 and made them available to Forbes Family History Group and Jean Little for indexing.