New South Wales

This work is the third in this series which aims to provide information enabling the researcher to add foliage to the family tree and move from the ‘womb to tomb’ , ‘cradle to grave’ approaches of some.

Serious researchers realise that it is not enough to regurgitate, born here ,died and wed there and boast how many names they have found and how far in the past they can trace.

Details such as occupation, salary, land ownership, licenses etc provide a picture of an individuals life. Hopefully my various databases will assist in appreciation of the lives of our ancestors.

There are 45,449 entries to date and more entries are made, almost on a daily basis. The entries range from Raymond’s Postal Directory for 1823 to the 1913 NSW Electoral Roll. However the main focus for the entries is the turbulent years of the late 1880’s.

I have used the Votes and Proceedings of the NSW Legislative Assembly and the Journals of the NSW Legislative Council for many  but by no means all of the entries. The yearly Blue Books of Parliament are of particular research value whilst the Votes and Proceedings contain hidden gems. For example a list of fishermen fined for having undersize fish or no license or using insulting language to Fisheries Inspector. Applicants for oyster leases and the location ; pensions for widows and dependents of policemen and others. A listing of medical practitioners and their qualifications and where and when they were obtained. Details of, to date, entries for 307 persons contracted to carry the mail showing for example ‘Patrick Egan of Cooma who received £85 pa for the conveyance of mail 30 miles on horseback once a week between Cooma & Buckley’s Crossing via Woolway & Jejizrick’

Selected entries from the Electoral Rolls for Northumberland and Hunter 1851 – 52 and the Upper Hunter 1878 – 79 showing name, location and nature of the qualification to vote,i.e. freehold, residence, dwelling house etc.

The records of the Department of Lands for 1900 not only provide names, positions,salaries  and allowances but also the dates of birth of their  employees as well as date joined the Department and date appointed to current position. An extract from the listing of V.&P. of 1894 – 95 shows pensions granted to Officers who retired from ill-health.  The Votes & Proceedings Blue Book of 1890 provided the names of those appointed as Guardians of Minors to give consent in cases of marriages in NSW. The Return of Conditional Purchasers Disallowed between 1862 and 1863 provides interesting reasons for their being disallowed. For example  Margaret Corrigan of Broulee  application for 50 acres was refused on the grounds ‘ A wife in her husband’s life time being disqualified from making a conditional purchase.’.

The Police Gazette provides a wealth of information regarding apprehensions, warrants,stolen or lost property etc. Likewise the Government Gazette is also a source for the names and occupations etc of NSW residents.

The list of those holding a license to sell stamps provide the full address of many shopkeepers sometimes not always available in PO Directories. There are 2269 listed as such to date. I have used a number of post office  directories for some towns and places which may not now be found as such. Country  Post offices directories published by Meyers, Sands, Bailliere and Raymond for years 1832, 1867, 1878, 1881 and 1889 are listed. Selected extracts from Sydney and Newcastle Directories  are included. The 1898 Country Directory of Trades persons provides the names and occupation of many residents of country towns whilst Wise’s Commercial directory for 1900 adds to these names. The latter also lists the names of Stations and the owners of Runs having over 2,000 sheep or 500 head of cattle. As an aside the number of properties owned by the banks is a indication of the devastating effect of the so called ‘Federation Drought’ of 1895 – 1903 which destroyed half the continent’s sheep.

In many listings  the town or place listed has since disappeared. In other cases the place names refers to a topographical feature such as a creek, plain or hill. Thus in the list of publicans ( over 3,700 listed to date ) and their hotel the name of the hotel may appear for example as ‘Boundary Hotel, Stinking Lagoons, Bourke Licensing District ‘. In a number of entries I have also included the Aboriginal meaning for the place or town name ,for example Barraba . Abor. meaning ‘place of the yellow jacket trees’.

For some entries , in particular in the Civil Service records the ‘town or place’ is not stated. This is particularly so for records relating to Railways employees. In these entries I have assumed the default place of employment is Sydney. In others  recorded as ‘Not stated’. The entries from the Post Master General Department whilst nominated in the database as ‘place’ are in many cases the place of employment i.e post office rather then place of residence.

The Civil Service records of the NSW Public Service for 1885 has the names of over 3000 employees of the NSW Department of Education. The names and the schools for teachers, pupil teachers, probationary teachers, itinerant teachers, mistress and School Attendance Officers together with their classification are listed. Many of the schools have long since disappeared or closed but may be of interest for those whose ancestors were teachers.

For the data sourced from the ‘Return of Sudden Deaths, or Deaths by Accident or Violence on which Coroner’s Inquest or Magisterial Inquires have been held’ the name of the place of death for many is that of a properties or just the river or creek. For example – ‘Near Golgol lake, 30 miles from Wentworth; committed suicide with a razor whilst in a state of insanity.” Other databases sourced provide  lists of orphans and their placement in 1862, 1863 and 1870.I will leave it up to the researcher to draw their own conclusions from this list. Minsters of various churches and their salaries.

I have also now included particulars relating to Singleton residents who served in the Boer War and the Great War , 1914 – 18

For those who are interested in their convict heritage I have digitised the Convicts Indents for the 3rd Fleet . I have listed place of trial as ‘Place’ and date of arrival as ”year’

Some lateral thinking is required when you search these databases. Follow this link for examples of how the data is presented.

For links to the towns/places see here.

For links to year(s)  see here.

References

Some of the references used , but by no means all, in ‘Residents of NSW Vol. 3 ‘database are listed below. (This  requires updating.)

Year	Reference
18321833	Raymond’s Post Office Directory – selected entries1848 Wells Dictionary of the Australian ColoniesNSW Calendar and Post Office Directory
1861	Votes & Proceedings NSW Legislative Assembly 1861. Ecclesiastical Return. Provides name of parish, minister, salary, parsonage, value of Glebe, church capacity and average attendance.V.&P. listing names of residents of the Windsor District who received relief (i.e. flour, tea, sugar) as a resulting of the floods of 1861.1862 NSW Government Gazette
1863	Report from the Postmaster General. List of Post Offices on the 31 Dec. 1863
1863	Report from the Postmaster General. List of Stamp-sellers on the 31 Dec. 1863
1866	Votes & Proceedings NSW Legislative Assembly 1867 – 68. Ecclesiastical Return. Provides district, name, date of minister’s appointment, annual salary. Following dioceses – Church of England Sydney, Newcastle and Goulburn. Roman Catholic Church. Presbyterian Church. Wesleyan Methodist.
1866	Report from the Postmaster General. List of Post Offices on the 31 Dec. 1866.
1866	Report from the Postmaster general. List of Stamp-sellers as at 31 Dec. 1866
1866 – 1868	Civil Service Appointments.  Jan. 1866 – Oct. 1868. Votes & Proceedings Legislative Assembly.
1867 -68 1869	Samson NSW National Directory. ——————————————————————————————- V. & P. Legislative Assembly Blue Book 1869; Names of Sheep Directors. Names of Crown Land Agents. Pastoral Districts Commissioners.V. & P. Legislative Assembly Blue Book 1869;  Return of Ecclesiastical Establishment for 1869. Roman Catholic Church .
1867	Votes & Proceedings Legislative Assembly 1867 /68; Education Report – Denominational School teachers. Provides teacher’s name, salary, total number of boys and girls on the roll and their average attendance.  For Church of England schools in Sydney and Newcastle Diocese; Presbyterian, Wesleyan and Roman Catholic Schools.
1870	Votes & Proceedings Legislative Assembly 1870. Vol. 1.Return of Sudden Deaths, or Deaths by Accident or Violence, on which Coroner’s Inquests or Magisterial Inquires have been held.
1872	Greville’s Post Office Directory 1872.
1876	Government Gazette. Return of Timber and Other licenses issued for the Quarter ending 31st Dec. 1876
1877	Votes & Proceedings Legislative Assembly -Blue Book. Postmaster General – Electric Telegraph
1878

1881 Sands PO Directory 1878 – 79  Country Municipalities. Listing of local Aldermen and Mayors. 166 entries.

1882 NSW Government Gazette. Return of Publicans Licenses, 1^st July 1882 – 30 June 1883.

1882 Return of Auctioneers Licenses. Return of Spirit Merchants Licenses. Return of Colonial Wine Licenses. Return of Packet Licenses. Return of Brewers Licenses.1882 Blue Book of NSW Legislative Council (or Assembly).

1882 Secretary for Public Works – Railways 1882 Blue Book of NSW Legislative Council (or Assembly). Postmaster General – Post Office.1884

1884 Votes & Proceedings Legislative Assembly 1885. List of of Stamp-sellers on the 31 Dec 1884.

1885 NSW Medical Board. Register of Medical Practitioners for 1885; Government Gazette 1885 Vol. 1

1885 Journal of the Legislative Council of NSW 1885 -Survey of  the occupiers of land and owners of stock  ; aka ‘Parliamentary Return of Landholders’

1885 Government Gazette. Analytic statements of accounts…in Insolvent Estates for half year ending 31^st Dec. 1884

1886 Blue Book of NSW Legislative Council (or Assembly). Secretary for Public Works – Internal Communication – Railway Branch

1879 Votes & Proceedings Legislative Assembly 1885. Contains 1879 petition for extension of the Western railway to Forbes.

1881 Newcastle Directory & Almanac for 1881

1887 Civil Service; Estimates in Chief showing Total Remuneration received by all Public Officers who hold more than one office or who received any special fees, special allowances, quarters ….in addition to their fixed annual salaries during 1886

1890 Blue book for 1890 from Votes and Proceedings of NSW Legislative Assembly

1890 Votes & Proceedings Legislative Assembly- Blue Book 1890. Appointment as Guardians of Minors to give consent in cases of marriages in NSW.

1892 Votes & Proceedings Legislative Assembly

1893 – Appendix C. List of Stamp-sellers on 31 Dec. 1892.

1892 V. & P. Legislative Assembly 1893- Particulars of Prosecutions for infringements of the ‘Fisheries Act 1881’ and ‘Oyster Fisheries Act 1884’ in 1892

1893 V. & P. Legislative Assembly 1893; Appendices from Commissioners of Fisheries for NSW 1892 – Staff

1893 V. & P. Leg. Assembly NSW 1893 – Return of Premises rented by Government by Police, Military, Public Works, Dept. of Public Instruction, Land Dept., Postmaster general. etc

1893 Votes & Proceedings Legislative Assembly 1893; Return of Persons employed in the Harbours & Rivers Dept. exclusive of the dredge service at Newcastle , as at 21 Nov 1893.

V.&P. 1894 – 95; Appendix III ; Pensions granted and reason for retirement.

1898 Commercial Directory of Tradesperson.

1900 Wise Commercial Directory

1904 Electoral Roll Singleton 1903-1904

1913 NSW Electoral Roll



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