Now&Then 37 - April 2009

• Online news
• Easter and ANZAC Day opening hours 
• YouTube Family history presentation 
• Launch of the new website
• Gems from the collection
• The Colonial Secretary’s Letters received, 1826-56 (NRS 905)
• Indexes on the State Records of South Australia Website
• 2009 NSW Archival Research Fellowship
• Spotlight on Bankruptcy
• Exhibition
• Upcoming talks and tours

Online news

The latest additions to online indexes and resources on our website include:

1. Bankruptcy Index (NRS 13658) 1889-1928

The new Bankruptcy Index is a wonderful resource for family and local historians. Bankruptcy is a state in which a person is unable to pay creditors and is required to undergo a legal process that usually results in liquidation of his/her estate in order to meet expenses (at least in part).

• Search the Bankruptcy index
• For further information relating to Bankruptcy records have a read of Archives in Brief 58

2. *NEW* Archives preservation information on the website

This new section of the website highlights the importance and role of preservation work at State Records. The main goal is to ensure that the State archives last as long as possible. The pages explain conservation treatments, what ‘too fragile to issue’ means, and which particular records are most often in need of conservation treatment. The pages are illustrated with examples.

• Access the preservation information pages.

Easter and ANZAC Day opening hours 

Good Friday 10 April - CLOSED
Easter Saturday 11 April - CLOSED
Easter Monday 13 April - CLOSED
Tuesday 14 April - OPEN
ANZAC Day Saturday 25 April - CLOSED

YouTube Family history presentation 

A nine minute presentation on researching family history at State Records is now accessible on YouTube. The presentation provides useful information on how to begin your research and provides examples from the records. It covers research into convicts, free passenger arrivals and land records. There is also information on the reading room services and facilities.

The presentation can also be accessed on the Family Historians page on the website.

Launch of the new website

We successfully rolled out the new version of the website at the end of February. Some minor glitches kept us busy for a few days but the changeover was relatively smooth. We thank you for your patience while these glitches were being resolved!

Added features

• New sidebars - Two new sidebars on both the left and right of the screen: the left assists with site navigation; the right gives you quick access to the latest news and what's on information.
• Breadcrumb trail - The dynamic "You are here:" breadcrumb trail is a handy feature that keeps web visitors informed of where they are within the site. It doesn't matter where your browsing takes you, you will always know where you are.
• Email a webpage - If you find information that you want to share with a friend simply use the Email option available at the bottom of each page.
• Live search - The new system includes a useful live search facility that immediately begins to produce results as you type your keywords into the site search box.
• KeyName Search - The Keyname search is a powerful search tool to help you find individuals across many of our online indexes. There are three easy ways to access KeyName Search:
     1. On the blue navigation bar "advanced keyname search"
     2. On The State Archives page
     3. On the Indexes Online page
• Index to Assisted Immigrants - Five indexes merged into one to make searching online easier. In one index you can access over 200,000 arrivals to Sydney (and Newcastle), Moreton Bay and Port Phillip from 1839-1896!
  You can still search individual ports of arrival - simply make your selection from the "Arriving" option on the search form:
      * Moreton Bay
      * Port Phillip
      * Syndey and/or Newcastle
      * Sydney
• RSS Feeds - If you are an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) subscriber you'll be pleased to know that we now have an RSS news feed to keep you up-to-date with all the latest archival news. 

If you are unfamiliar with RSS it is a way to keep track of your favourite websites. If you regularly visit the same websites/blogs and they are RSS enabled then you can view information - such as news headlines and the latest posts - from all these sites all in the one place. Rather than clicking through your browser bookmarks to check for website updates, RSS tells you when there is new content to read. An easy to understand explanation of RSS is online.

You can also subscribe to our Events RSS to follow the upcoming talk, tours and seminars.

We hope to introduce a family history based RSS feed in the near future.

Feedback

We appreciate all the feedback and comments we receive and we use these suggestions to continually make improvements to our website. If you have any comments you would like to pass on to us please fill in the feedback form. Include your name and email and we will make sure to send you a reply.

Gems from the collection

 A recent find among the Colonial Secretary’s Letters received ( NRS 905) was a bundle of papers relating to the breaking up of the Convict Establishment at Port Macquarie. Dating from 1846 and 1847 the correspondence mainly relates to the invalid convicts in the hospital, the retention of some convicts at Port Macquarie after the breakup, the gradual removal of convicts to Sydney and the eventual closure of the hospital. Lists naming prisoners returning to Sydney, being retained at Port Macquarie, and in the hospital are included as well as a report of the Board set up to look into the best mode of disposing of the different classes of men mentioned in the October 1846 report of the Colonial Surgeon.

This has been made a Special bundle ( NRS 906) and can be found at [4/2775.1]. The report of the Colonial Surgeon mentioned above, because of its large size, has been filed separately and can be found at [4/2775.2].

For further information relating to the Colonial Secretary records see the Guide online .

The Colonial Secretary’s Letters received, 1826-56 (NRS 905)

In late 2001 State Records embarked upon a very long-term project to preserve, audit/catalogue and copy as well as to improve access to the correspondence records of the Colonial Secretary for the period 1826 to 1856.

A number of key principles for the project were established in the first few months. One of the most important is that related correspondence and/or enclosures and subsequent papers will be brought together either physically or intellectually as appropriate. (The latter to apply in such cases as when an in-letter is in a bound volume and subsequent papers are in the loose series, and it will not be possible to bring them together physically.) Other key principles of the project are that, for bundles of related in-letters, filing generally will be by the top or last number in the bundle; and that large, oversized, enclosures or in-letters will be removed for preservation purposes. Applying these principles has meant that a number of in-letters have been re-located with further relocations to follow.  

At present we are still largely engaged upon the first phase of the project, the 1826-1832 correspondence. The papers for 1826 to 1832, which had been arranged similarly to those for the 1833-1849 period (by provenance/subject) were rearranged into registered number by the Department in the 1920’s and have undergone some further re-sorts since then. Therefore to re-establish the context of the in-letters and to bring the related in-letters back together has been especially important for this period. To date the 1826 and 1827 correspondence principally has been affected by these re-sorts.

This has unfortunately caused some difficulties for our researchers in locating in-letters in which they are interested. Particularly affected are those in-letters that appear in the very useful, and valuable, index prepared by one of State Records’ researchers, Joan Reese, an Index to convicts and others, 1826-88. Information in an index to the returns of applications for the publication of banns (1828-41), which has been compiled by Joan Reese and Norma Tuck, may also be affected.

Having obtained a reference from the Indexes or by some other means, we suggest that researchers confirm the location of any letter in which they are interested before placing a request. This can be done through two paper-based finding aids which can be found behind both of the reading room desks. One of these is the Colonial Secretary Skeleton Register for the year in which the letter was received and registered; the other is the 'Col Sec Papers relocated in-letters 1826-1827' folder which contains information about the letters in 1826 and 1827 that have been moved. Staff also have access to electronic files which they can check if necessary.

We will be taking further steps to improve access to these re-located letters (initially for the 1826 and 1827 period) both in our reading rooms as well as on our website.

For further information relating to the Colonial Secretary's correspondence see the online Guide.

Indexes on the State Records of South Australia Website

State Records of South Australia (SRSA) has two indexes on its website that may be of interest to researchers. They are:

• a passenger and ship name index to GRG 35/48/1 Official Assisted Passage Passenger Lists 1845-86, and
• name index to GRG 26/5/4 Photographs of South Australian soldiers, sailors and nurses engaged in World War I. To quote from the site 'These World War I photographs resulted from a voluntary program run by the Public Library of South Australia and are not a complete photo record of all South Australians that served in World War I'.

The indexes may be accessed via the SRSA homepage. Follow the links from 'Access the collection'.

2009 NSW Archival Research Fellowship

We are delighted to announce that the inaugural NSW Archival Research Fellowship will be awarded in 2009. This new Fellowship has been developed by State Records and Arts NSW. It will be offered annually by the Government to assist a person living in NSW to complete an innovative and quality research project that makes substantial use of the records collection of the State Records Authority of NSW.

Applicants are required to demonstrate that their project will add to, or bring fresh perspectives to bear upon, their nominated subject.  They should also demonstrate that the project will benefit their experience and development as a researcher, historian or archivist. 

The successful applicant is expected to produce an article or book for publication, or a website, exhibition, film or event that is significant to the people of NSW and promotes the State Records Authority’s collection.  The State Records Authority of NSW will assist in identifying outlets for publication or public presentation of the work undertaken on the fellowship.
The Guidelines and application form can be downloaded from the ArtsNSW website  . The closing date is 8 May 2009.

Spotlight on Bankruptcy

With the exciting addition of the  Bankruptcy Index 1888-1928 to the ever increasing online indexes we have decided to highlight this series ( NRS 13658) in this Spotlight. Bankruptcy is a state in which a person is unable to pay creditors and is required to undergo a legal process that usually results in the liquidation of his/her estate in order to meet expenses (at least in part).

It is possible to search the index by name, locality and occupation. When searching by occupations you can discover some unusual professions including - 2 comedians, 12 actors, 37 musicians/music sellers/music teachers (music industry), 2 operatic singers and there are even 5 clergymen.

The index can be of great value when researching your local area for example when you search for ‘Kingswood’ in the 'Location' search field - 4 entries are found; Charles Gilbert - brickmaker, William Millen - tanner, George Peasley - greengrocer, and William Ross - labourer.  

The bankruptcy files are a wonderful resource for the family historian. They can provide insight to the social and economic hardships experienced by individuals at a certain time.

Take the example of Henry Hodgson a comedian living in Darlinghurst. The sequestration date on the file (official date on which the debtor becomes bankrupt) is 8/8/1896. There didn't seem to be a large demand for the skills of this comedian living in Darlinghurst along with his wife and five children. Reading through the file it seemed that life was pretty hard, and making ends meet when employment opportunities were scarce was incredibly tough. Here is a snippet (transcribed from file no. 11442 [10/23130] written by Henry Hodgson (professionally known as Harry Hodgson),

5 November 1896

......I have been out of engagement for some time with the exception of a short season at Her Majesty's Theatre in August last and out of any salary in that period I paid on account of rent and other debts. 
My liabilities account to about one hundred pounds and have been incurred for absolute necessities from time to time obtained by me for myself my wife and family....I have no means whatever to enable me to pay.....I am quite penniless.....Henry Hodgson

Along with this affidavit of Henry Hodgson there are debtor's petitions, a statement of affairs which lists the details of the creditors, a value and description of assets along with other financial papers within the file.

The bankruptcy files have not been copied. Access is only available at the Western Sydney Records Centre.

• Search the Bankruptcy index   
• For further information relating to Bankruptcy records see Archives in Brief 58.

Exhibition

The In Living Memory NSW tour comes into Sydney for six months from April until September 2009. It begins its Sydney residency at Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewes Bequest from 11 April until 28 June, and then moves to the St George Regional Museum in Hurstville from 9 July until 24 September 2009. The tour will visit another seven New South Wales venues until 2010, including Newcastle, Moruya, Bega, Wagga Wagga, Cootamundra, Dubbo and Broken Hill.

Check the exhibition webpage for venue details and updates.

In Living Memory is also still on display at State Records Gallery in The Rocks.

Exhibition Talks & Tours are available for small groups of 5-20 people, weekdays between 10 am and 4 pm.

In Living Memory exhibition
State Records Gallery
Sydney Records Centre
2 Globe Street (off George Street)
The Rocks
FREE ENTRY
9am - 5pm, Mon - Fri
10 am - 4pm, Sat
Closed public holidays
Enquiries & Exhibition Tour bookings (02) 8247 8660

Upcoming talks and tours

Family History online – Heritage week
The first of two presentations by Wendy Gallagher. A workshop by State Records, including the use of Archives Investigator.
7 April 3.30pm-5.00pm. Studies Room at Camden Library.
Phone: 02 4654 7951
Bookings are essential.

Family History online – Heritage week
The second presentation by Wendy Gallagher. “Searching Land Records” for the Camden and Airds Family History Society.
7 April 7.30pm-8.30pm. Multipurpose Room of the Camden Library.
Phone: 02 4655 1098
Bookings are essential.

South Coast Maritime and History Expo
Christine Yeats will be speaking on “Shipwrecks of the South Coast: sources in the NSW State archives”.
11-12 April. Ulladulla.
Contact: Cathy Dunn
Phone: 02 4455 4780
Email: historian@ulladulla.info 

Archives Investigator
Christine Yeats will be presenting “How to navigate Archives Investigator”.
22 April 10.30am-12.30pm
Sydney Records Centre
Contact: Lindsay Allen
Email: Lindsay.allen@records.nsw.gov.au

Port Macquarie and Districts Family History Society Expo
Gail Davis will address the Port Macquarie and Districts Family Society Expo, and have a stall of State Records publications.
16 May 9.00am-3.00pm. Port Macquarie Panthers Settlement City.
Contact: Pam Yates
Phone: 02 6583 3360

Maltese Immigration and Settlement in NSW
An event during Archives and Record Management Week 2009
Presented by State Records and the Royal Australian Historical Society. There will be a number of speakers including Fabian Lo Schiavo from State Records.
27 May 10.00am-4.00pm. History House, 133 Macquarie Street
Phone: 02 9247 8001

Society of Australian Genealogists
Christine Yeats will present a talk ‘Insights into colonial times’.
30 May 10.30am-12.30pm Seminar Room Richmond Villa, 120 Kent Street, Sydney.
Phone: 02 9247 3953
Email: info@sag,org.au 
 
You can either book online for State Records talks or ring Lindsay Allen on (02) 9673 1788.  For more information on these and any future events or to book online.