If you are ordering entries from this index please be aware that there may be multiple names associated with one letter. Where there are multiple entries with the same letter number you only need to request one of the entries for your copy order. If you order multiple entries with the same letter number you will end up purchasing multiple copies of the same letter.
Wildcards
Use the asterisk * wild card to search the whole index (Full Search) for terms such as "theatr*" for theatre or theatrical licenses or spelling variations. Although every care was taken, identification of letters such as K instead of H, or T, J and I was problematic. Use of the asterisk * wild card when searching is recommended.
Name entries and spelling variations
For entries relating to convicts the ship and year of arrival is shown. Where the ship name is not clear or the person was not a convict, other identifying information is provided, for example residence, occupation or approximate year of arrival. Descriptions of the correspondence are not provided.
The spelling of names can vary for one individual and across the correspondence. Names are recorded as shown in the correspondence. For example John Coffey may be recorded as Coffee, Cofy or Coughy.
Letter numbers
One entry could refer to a short sentence in a letter or many pages or many related letters. Only the 'top' letter number is recorded as all letters regarding that particular matter should be filed together.
Unregistered letters
Unregistered letters have no letter number. These letters have been recorded in the index by the date of the letter; e.g. 20 Feb'26. If no date is on the letter, "No date" is shown in the Letter reference field.
Limitations of the Index
Some correspondence contains many names and not every name in the correspondence has been indexed. If lists contained up to 20 persons and were legible, they were indexed individually. Otherwise, the list was entered under a generic name.
Many letters from the years 1838-1842 were not able to be indexed due to their fragile state.
Priority was given to convict names and those free persons who may not be recorded in the series Colonial Secretary; NRS 922, Registers of letters received, 1826-1921. Correspondence indexed in the Index to Convict Marriage Banns, 1826-1842 (available on microfiche) is not included.
The index is not a complete list of all material within the series NRS 905. For a more comprehensive search of the papers, check NRS 922, Indexes and registers to letters received, 1826-1921.
Examples of matters included in the correspondence:
- Convicts
- applications for remission of gaol sentences and later offences
- applications from convicts for their wives and families to be sent out at government expense
- Norfolk Island prisoners and events (1838-1845), including an alphabetical list of 778 convicts on Norfolk Island with the date of their Colonial conviction [4/2698.1], Reel 770
- Immigration
- passenger lists and lists of free women and children on some convict ships
- applications from colonists for the assisted immigration of friends and family
- applications for naturalization
- reports of inquiries regarding inappropriate conduct of passengers or crew
- Admission and discharges of children into and out of orphan schools and the industrial and training schools
- Warrants for admission to and notification of death/discharge from asylums
- Memorials or petitions from inhabitants of towns and villages including their signatures
- Applications for burials in the Devonshire Street and Camperdown cemeteries
- Government employees
- Lists of Aboriginal people in particular areas and lists of blankets distributed to Aboriginal people
- Maps, plans, sketches and tracings
- Apprehension of bushrangers and runaways
- Reports, printed circulars and By-Laws for various localities
- Military, Military Forces and Regiments
Abbreviations used in the Index
First Name or Forename may be abbreviated (i.e. Wm), an initial, Mr/Mrs/Miss or Constable, Sgt, Capt etc or (Constable) as originally transcribed.
Bros | Brothers | Ltr | Letter |
---|
Capt | Captain | NSW | New South Wales |
CF or (CF) | Came free | NZ | New Zealand |
Ch or Chn | Child or children | OIC | Officer in Charge |
Co | Company | QLD or Qld | Queensland |
Enc | enclosure (usually noted in the Other Information field and relates to the In Letter number in the In Letter reference field being an enclosure with a different In Letter where it can be found) | RC | Roman Catholic |
ENG or Eng | England | Regt | Regiment |
Govt | Government | Revd | Reverend |
1C | First Class | Sgt | Sergeant |
In Letter or IL | NSW Colonial Secretary's In Letter, or Letter Received | Snr | Senior |
In Ltr | In Letter | TAS or Tas | Tasmania |
Ire | Ireland | UK | United Kingdom |
Jnr | Junior | USA | United States of America |
JR | Joan Reese | VIC or Vic | Victoria |
LB | Linda Bowman | WA | Western Australia |
Lieut | Lieutenant | | |