State Records is indexing the records relating to convict pardons held in its collection. Pardons reduced a portion of the sentence the convict was required to serve.
This is an ongoing volunteer project and additional series will be added to this index as they are completed.
The index records the convict's name, ship and year of arrival, type of pardon, date of pardon if recorded, item number, page and microfilm reel number and remarks.
Accessing the records
Microfilm copies of the Certificates of Freedom can be viewed in our reading rooms.
You can also order copies of the records online via the search facility. Simply 'tick' the relevant search result(s) and follow the instructions.
The copy service fee is $25.00 (includes administration, postage/handling and the first entry). Additional entries are $1.50 each.
» See more about our copy services
Is there a related index?
See the Index to Tickets of Leave, certificates and pardons, 1810-19.
Record series used to compile the Index
At present the index includes entries from the following series:
- NRS 1170, Registers of Conditional pardons, 16 December 1791-6 December 1825, 1 January 1837-27 August 1841, Reel 774
The first volume in the series covering 16 December 1791-6 December 1825 usually records number and date of pardon, name of convict, ship and year of arrival, native place, occupation, crime, place and date of trial, sentence, year of birth and physical description (height, complexion, colour of hair and eyes).
Please note: Prior to 1810 much of this information is not on the original records and therefore the entries may be incomplete.
Please note: Some duplication of records relating to pardons for the years 1810-1819 may be found as a number of record series cover this period. You may find more than one entry concerning a particular convict.
The second volume in the series 1 January 1837-27 August 1841 only records the number of the pardon, the name of the convict, date ordered and date of issue. Copies of these conditional pardons are available in the series below, which has been recently indexed.
- NRS 1171, Copies of butts of conditional pardons, 30 Sep 1824-9 Feb 1827, Reel 774
- NRS 1172, Copies of Conditional Pardons registered by the Colonial Secretary, May 1826-11 August 1870, Reels 775-796, 3037
Volumes 1-18 and 20-29 of this series [4/4432-48; 4/4450-59] covering May 1826-10 July 1848 have now been indexed.
Please note: Volume 19 [4/4449] is a blank volume.
- NRS 1175, Register of first class conditional pardons, 7 Mar-20 Jul 1846, Reel 799
- NRS 1176, Register of second class conditional pardons, 16 Mar-20 Jul 1846, Reel 799
- NRS 1160, Registers of Colonial Pardons, 1 Mar 1788-29 Jul 1867, Reel 771
Definition
Conditional Pardon (CP) - this type of pardon granted convicts freedom as long as they remained in the Colony.
Feedback
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