State Records of New South Wales (SRNSW), Index to the Colonial Secretary’s Papers, 1788-1825 is arranged alphabetically by subject and name. The Colonial Secretary was responsible for the official papers and records for the colony of New South Wales from 1788. These papers form a comprehensive collection relating to the early years of settlement in Australia. They reflect all aspects of colonial life: the granting of land; the operation of the convict system; the administration by civil and military authorities; exploration and much more. Amongst the papers are petitions and memorials (letters) from many individuals including ordinary settlers and convicts as well as prominent persons. There are letters from establishments at Bathurst, Moreton Bay, Newcastle, Port Macquarie and Van Diemen’s Land. This collection includes:
• Index to the Papers of the New South Wales Colonial Secretary 1788-1825. Online at SRNSW and also on Ancestry.com (free)
• Papers of the New South Wales Colonial Secretary 1788-1825. Digital copies of the original records are available, free of charge, on Ancestry.com. You will be asked to create a Free Account for access.
TIP: Use SRNSW online Archives in Brief guides nos. 64, 65 and 104 for information about this collection and how to use it.
Ancestry.com offers full access to the Colonial Secretary’s Papers, 1788-1825. The records are fully indexed and linked to images of the original records. There is free access to this index and images.
TIP: Ship of arrival is listed as an identifier for convict and free settlers. New