Calendar of persons tried on criminal charges in Sydney Courts (Court books), 1835-1923

The Calendars show: date of trial, name of vessel in which the accused arrived in the Colony (early records only), condition (ie. ticket of leave, bond), when and where committed, type of jury, charge, sentence, date of verdict, remarks.

Later volumes show the prisoners gaol number, occupation and the name of the judge presiding. The calendars are incomplete and unindexed.

Item lists: Oct 1835-Jul 1837 [4/6448], Reel 684; Aug 1838-Jul 1843 [X852], Reel 2720; May 1847-Mar 1909 [4/6449-50A, 4/6451-52A & 4/6453-54A], Reels 685-686; [4/6450B, 4/6452B, 4/6454B & 4/6455A-B], Reels 3621-3623; and 1920-23 [4/6456], Reel 3623.

Registers of cases heard before the Central Criminal Court, 1886-1948

The registers show for each cause heard: names of Crown Prosecutors, prisoner, counsel for the defence, witnesses for the Crown and the defence (noting days of attendance, whether bound or subpoenaed), judge arraigning, judge presiding, date and place of committal, dates of arraignment and trial, defendant's plea, verdict, sentence passed and any remarks.

Item lists: [19/13202-13]

Papers and depositions, Supreme Court, Sydney and on Circuit, 1824-1946

Depositions are papers relating to the trial, including statements by witnesses. They may be annotated with the verdict and the name of the Judge presiding.

Item lists: 1824-36 [T128-70], 1837-1946 [9/6307-7405, 4/9090 [photocopy City COD392], [10/11048 part, 10/10503 part, 10/8166-81 part].

Annual returns of prisoners tried before the Supreme Court at Sydney and on Circuit, 1824-47

The returns usually record name of prisoner, offence, date of trial, verdict, sentence, and if remitted and why. The returns are frequently duplicated, one copy probably having been sent to the Colonial Secretary and the other retained in the Supreme Court.

Item lists: 1824-32 [X727; X48], Reel 2756; 1835, 1837-47 [X67, X850-51].

Session returns of persons tried and convicted by the Supreme Court at Sydney and on circuit, 1825-1910

The returns record name of prisoner, condition (native born, ticket of leave, free by servitude etc.), offence, verdict, judgment and alteration or commutation approved by the Governor and Council. From November 1833 whether the jury was civil or military is also noted, and later the name of the Judge and his recommendation.

Item lists: [X728-31], Reel 2389; [X43-44], Reel 2756; [X46-47], Reel 2756; [X845-49], Reel 2389; [X880-900], Reels 2394-2395.

Registers of criminal indictments, 1863-1919

The registers provide details of when and where tried; name of prisoner; judge; date; verdict and sentence. They are indexed and should be checked if there is a possibility that the case may have been heard in the Supreme Court for this period.

Item lists: [9/2630-35] Reels 1860-1861.

Informations and other papers, 1824-1947

For more details of cases 1824-36, see the unpublished inventory Index to Supreme Court Criminal Jurisdiction, 1824-36, available in both reading rooms.

Item lists: [T19-T115].

Coroners' records

Registers of coronial enquiries can establish basic details such as cause of death, name of accused and locality of trial. Detailed reports have not survived for the years 1828 to 1911. See Archives in Brief No. 4.

Court of Criminal Appeal, 1912+

See Archives Investigator under Agency No. 1054 Court of Criminal Appeal for details.

Court of Criminal Jurisdiction, 1788-1824

See Archives Investigator under Agency No. 535 Court of Criminal Jurisdiction for further information. The index to cases heard by the Court of Criminal Jurisdiction, 1788-1824 is indexed by the name of the accused. The index includes details of the crime, in some cases the name of the victim and locality and details of the location of records.

Court Reporting Office, Transcripts, 1899-1987

See Archives Investigator Series 2714 Transcripts, 1899-1987. Transcripts for early years are arranged by the name of the judge and the jurisdiction of the Court. Later they are arranged by the jurisdiction of the Court and the name of the person tried. Records more than 30 years old are open to public access if the case is not of current interest.

Crown Solicitor's records

See Archives Investigator under 'Crown Solicitor'. NRS 3595, Judgment books, Supreme Court, Criminal Sessions, 1835-60, are of particular interest.

Guide to Convicts and Convict Administration

Also known as the Convict Guide, available in the reading rooms. See Chapter 11: Colonial trials and court records.

Judges' notebooks

Judges' notebooks survive from c 1828, but are not complete. See Archives Investigator under the name of the judge. Newspapers may give the name of the judge, as may the registers listed above.

Prison records

See Archives Investigator under Corrective Services for details. Post 1870s prison records may include photographs of prisoners with details of conviction and personal history. There is an online index to Gaol Photograph Description Books This index is being regularly updated.

Reports of Crime for Police Information, 1854-62 and Police Gazettes, 1862-1982

These publications include details of crimes committed, criminals wanted, criminals apprehended, prisoners discharged See Archives Investigator for further information and a list of records.