Now&Then 52 - October 2011
poNews from State Records - ISSN 1448-2118 - October 2011 • Number 52
- New book! Moments in Time
- Online News
- The Old Register DVD on special
- Kingswood Open Day Friday 28 October
- Census competition winners
- Flickr update
- Archives Outside Blog update
- Spotlight on Professions and Occupations
- Exhibition
- How you can stay up-to-date with State Records News
- Upcoming Talks, Tours and Seminars
- About Now&Then
New book! Moments in Time
It was though our "Moments in Time" blog series on Archives Outside that we were inspired to create this book. The blog series asks a question each fortnight "Can you date this photo?" and much enjoyment and head scratching ensues over who can identify the images and how. The book includes photos from the blog series, our Flickr photostream and comments by you!
Online News
The latest additions to online indexes and resources on our website include:
1. New search tool
We've been experimenting with improving the search experience for our online catalogue and would love to hear your feedback. Try the new search tool and have your say over on Opening the Catalogue, a blog where you can leave suggestions/comments and learn more about the progress of our experiment. Please note: some features of Archives Investigator have not yet been implemented, and if you are wishing to pre-order records or purchase copies of records you will need to use Archives Investigator to do so.
2. Convict Death Register 1828-79 now available to search on the Convict Database
Covering 1828-79 the Convict Death Register contains c.6600 names. It records the deaths of convicts who died while still serving their sentence. Included is name, ship of arrival, age, date of burial, parish and occasionally other details. Each entry in the register is a one-line entry only.
3. Potato Marketing Board files now listed online
These files include reports of inspecting officers, and minutes of proceedings from such bodies as the Federal Potato Co-ordinating Committee, routine files relating to the ordering of potatoes and seed, and working papers. Many files contain correspondence.
4. New Online Galleries
Sydney Opera House – Gold Book
The printed booklet, commonly known as the “Gold Book”, was issued to accompany the “Ceremony to Commemorate the Commencement of the Sydney Opera House” on 2 March 1959. The booklet comprises a foreword by the Premier, comments on the Opera House, notes on the competition, the site, the design, and plans.
The Art of Food – Food Glorious Food!
Food, where would we be without it? The production and consumption of food has always played an important role in the history of New South Wales. This gallery shows a selection of State archives that highlight what we have been eating in the home and on show.
Robbery Under Arms – The Eveleigh Heist, 1914
The Eveleigh payroll robbery took place on the 10 June 1914. What makes this crime unique is not only the fact that it was committed in the middle of the day in a busy area but it has been reported to be the first robbery in Australia where a get away car was used.
The Old Register DVD on special
The Old Registers 1-9 are on special. Normally $125.00, they are selling at $100.00 between 31 August and 14 December 2011.
Find out more about the register and purchase online
Kingswood Open Day Friday 28 October
Firstly we would like to apologise to those of you who received the Open Day email last week…four times. We experienced some technical problems with our email system and apologise for the inconvenience this has caused. We thank you for your patience and understanding while this glitch was resolved.
As you know, the Open Day will be a day full of activities: talks, tours, hands-on workshops and an exhibition of some of our ‘treasures’. We have already had an overwhelming response to the day and many events were rapidly booked out. We are hoping to find more room so please re-visit the booking form after October 6th to see which events have more spaces available.
There will also be a free sausage sizzle but feel free to bring a picnic and make a day of it.
We hope to see you there!
Census Competition Winners
Thank you to all those who participated in the Census Competition which ran in the August Issue of Now&Then - we were flooded with entries! To re-cap, we asked the question:
Why will question 60 be asked in the upcoming census?
The correct answer was:
Everyone included in the Census form has the option for their name–identified information to be retained and kept confidential for 99 years, and then released in 2110 for research purposes.
The lucky winners are: Penny Armstrong (who won the one year’s free subscription to Inside History magazine), Sue Hewitt and Karen Dickson (who both won a copy of State Records NSW 1788-2011).
Congratulations to the winners!
Flickr update
The latest additions include:
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![[Re-erection of the Iron Church]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6199/6104228197_546a022aa8_m.jpg) |
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If you don't have a Flickr account you can still browse these photos on Flickr, many of which are also available on Photo Investigator.
Archives Outside blog update
We’re very pleased to report that we've had a our busiest couple of months ever on the Archives Outside blog thanks in part to the TV premiere of Underbelly Razor and a series of posts based on the records from that era...
Did you watch #Underbelly #Razor last night? Check out some real life mugshots of the razor gangs
In our collection at State Records NSW we have gaol photograph description books which include a mugshot of the prisoner plus a list of their convictions. We’ve gathered together mugshots of some real life Underbelly: Razor characters below. Do they look like their TV counterparts?
Take a look and let us know what you think!
Does anyone know what a Moleyn Car looks like?
As mentioned in the Online News above, this gallery tells the story of the Eveleigh payroll robbery of 1914. One item that wasn’t found in our records was a photograph of the car used in this famous case. According to the Superintendent of Police, Walter Henry Childs, who discovered the car, it was a Moleyn Car. On the blog we asked if anyone knew what this car looked like. Take a look
It's Bushfire Awareness Week
Well it was. Take a look some Bushfire Awareness posters from days gone by.
Regional Staff Pick - Camel train [Broken Hill]
On a recent trip to Broken Hill Fiona was fortunate enough to be able to interview Brian Tonkin from the Outback Archives about his favourite archive. Read a full transcript of the interview
Moments in time
Over the past couple of months there as been a great variety of photographs to puzzle over!
Update on Digital Camera's in the Reading room
It was some time ago now but you might remember the post we wrote in April 2010 asking your opinion on providing a digital camera in the reading rooms for researchers to use. We received some great advice and suggestions in that post on the possible pros and cons and we are happy to announce there is now a digital camera up and running in the Kingswood reading room.
Archives Outside has gone ‘social’
We’ve spread our wings from the blog to include a Facebook and a Twitter account. Come along and say ‘hi’.
Spotlight on Professions and Occupations
Was one of your ancestors a police officer, teacher, doctor, fire-fighter, publican? If so, you’re in luck as we may hold records of their employment history. We have a broad range of records relating to various occupations. Listed in Short Guide 10 Professions and Occupations are the more well known State archives relating to employment records. The guide is arranged alphabetically by profession/occupation.
Many of you might know of the popular records we hold relating to individual professions such as: the teacher rolls and the teacher career cards; the blue books and public service lists; the police service registers; the railway personal history cards and the list goes on. What of the lesser known occupations, what do we hold on Aldermen (Mayors and Councillors); Bakers; Chemists, Druggists and Pharmacists; Clergymen, Lift Attendants; Newspaper Printers and Proprietors; Noxious Traders, and; Surveyors?
ALDERMEN (MAYORS AND COUNCILLORS)
We hold a card register which is arranged by shire. Names of Aldermen and Mayors are listed, also the date of election, Ward and Remarks (as to Mayor, year of Mayoralty, Resignation etc.)
e.g. For the Municipality of Balmain 1908-09 12 Alderman are listed. The Mayor at the time is listed as Henry James Copestake, elected on the 18 December 1909 in the North East Ward in lieu of T. F. Minty who died. [6/21603]
- Card register of municipal and shire council representatives, 1908 – 41 [6/21603 – 21605] (A4927)
- Card register of municipal and shire council representatives, 1920 – 47 [6/21610.10] (A4927)
- 1900 Addresses of Mayors [5/7549]
- NRS 9682 Lists of Shires and Municipalities May-Jun 1915 [7/6668]
Shows (a) name of shire, head-quarters or postal address, number of councillors, name of president, name of shire clerk and name of shire engineer, and (b) name of municipality, head-quarters or postal address, number of aldermen, name of mayor, and name of town clerk.
BAKERS
Listed under the Agency Labour and Industry in Archives Investigator is the series:
- NRS 5547 Application files for operative bakers' certificates 1954-74 [3/19394-429, 10/3378-97]
These files consist of the original application for a license (as required under the Bread Manufacture and Delivery Act, 1950) and subsequent correspondence concerning it. Applicants were required to state the following information: type of license; name; address; age and experience. The Department, upon receipt of the application, arranged a competency test and the results were recorded on the file.
Example: Thomas Roy Hardy of Five dock applied for a renewal of a baker’s certificate on the 10 March 1966 [3/19395 no. 384]. Included in the application is a renewal of operative baker’s certificate, application forms with full address and qualifications as well as correspondence to the applicant requesting certain documents.
We also hold:
- NRS 5546 Application files for bread manufacturers' licenses 1954-73 [10/3398-407]. Applicants were required to state their name and the address of the premises, and to supply a list of employees. If granted, a copy of the license is also placed on the file along with subsequent renewals until the license is permitted to lapse or is cancelled.
CHEMISTS, DRUGGISTS AND PHARMACISTS
- NRS 10897 Registers of Chemists and Druggists of New South Wales under the Sale and Use of Poisons Act 1876 1876-95 [2/695, microfilm copy SR Reel 1429; 2/696]
Each entry gives: name, residence, qualifications and remarks.There are many strike-outs and annotations recording amended information, deaths etc. - NRS 10898, Register of pharmacists and druggists, and pharmacists licensed to sell poisons under the Sales and Use of Poisons Act, 1897, and the Poisons Act, 1902, 1876-1920 *ARK [2/693; microfiche copy SR Fiche Nos. 844-845]
Each entry records the number of the certificate, date of registration, name, residence and qualifications. Where appropriate, change of address or death is noted.
We will shortly be adding online indexes to both the Registers of Chemists and Druggists 1876-95 and the Register of pharmacists and druggists 1876-1920 to our suite of online indexes.
CLERGYMEN
Clergymen are listed in the Blue Books, or
- NRS 1286 Returns of the Colony, 1822-57
- Public Service Lists, 1858-70
These records are listed in the section Public Servants in Short Guide 10.
The Blue Books contain lists of officers in the civil and military departments in the colony. The returns include an alphabetical index, showing name, position, date of appointment, and salary.
The Public Service lists continue beyond 1857 on Fiche 807-819 (1855-1870) and on Reels 3609-3620 (1871-1960).
There is much material relating to clergymen in the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence. See:
LIFT ATTENDANTS
Listed under the Agency Labour and Industry is the series:
- NRS 5557 Index to female lift attendants' certificates 1917-30 [7/10832].
This is a card index showing name of applicant, date tested, result of examination, name of testing officer, and other comments relating to the granting of certificates.
Example: Ivy Ann French applied for her lift attendant’s certificate on 1 May 1919 her examination was the next day. Her examination was successful and she received her Electric lift attendant certificate, the certificate number is 5041 (note we do not hold the certificates). The card also lists her date of birth as 28 May 1897.
NEWSPAPER PRINTERS AND PROPRIETORS
By Act of Council 8 Geo. IV no.2 no newspaper could be printed or published unless an affidavit had been lodged with the Colonial Secretary. This affidavit had to set out the names and addresses of the proprietors, publishers and editors and the publishing address. This volume is a register of these affidavits. It also registers Port Phillip affidavits from 1838 to 1847, and printers' declarations.
NOXIOUS TRADERS
Noxious trades involved occupations such as pig and poultry keeper, fat extractor, gut scraper, manure maker, rag picker and wool scourer.
- NRS 603 Register of noxious traders licensed, 1925-38 shows the name of the person licensed, "Situation of Premises" and "Trade or Trades", and the number of the licence issued for the "Registration Year".
SURVEYORS
We hold a range of different record series relating to surveyor’s. Some are:
- NRS 13736, Letters received from surveyors, 1822-55 [2/1509-96, Reels 3051-3098; SR Map No. 6377]
These are letters received from surveyors, mostly relating to matters such as the survey description of farms, reserves, churches, schools, rivers and mountain ranges, or forwarding tracings and plans of these after survey. - NRS 13918 Letters from surveyors and individuals to surveyors, 1823-53 [2/1734]
- NRS 13919 Letters received from the Surveyor General, c.1829-33 [2/1735-42]
- NRS 13950, Abstracts of salaries and allowances, 1842-50 [4/6914]
- Annual returns showing name and position of officer (surveyors, craftsmen, messengers etc), salary and amount of salary received for each month of the year.
- NRS 13889, Surveyors' field books, 1794-1861
Field books are diaries of surveying expeditions, descriptions of natural features, sketches of farms, town allotments and roads. Trigonometrical observations and triangulation surveys are also included. In some field books references to map and plan catalogue numbers have been added.
For a detailed listing of Field books see the Index to Surveyors' Field Books, 1794-1860
We also hold a separate index to Surveyors on the stand-alone computer in both reading rooms.
To find out more about what we hold relating to professions and occupations see Short Guide 10.
For those of you who are very keen to learn more Gail Davis will be presenting a talk on records concerning professions and occupations offering tip and tactics as well as practical advice on the 30 November at Richmond Villa. The event is hosted by the Society of Australian Genealogists.
Exhibition
You can still see the In Living Memory NSW exhibition of photographs from the Aborigines Welfare Board at State Records Gallery in The Rocks.
In Living Memory exhibition
State Records Gallery
Sydney Records Centre
2 Globe Street (off George Street)
The Rocks NSW 2000
FREE ENTRY
9am - 5pm, Mon – Fri only
Closed weekends and public holidays
Exhibition Talks & Tours are available for small groups of 5-20 people, between 10 am and 4 pm weekdays ph: (02) 8247 8609
www.records.nsw.gov.au
How you can stay up-to-date with State Records News
On our website
Subscribe to our website news - receive an email each time we post a news item.
If you like to tweet or just read tweets follow us on Twitter where we post news items and links of interest to genealogy and archival resources.
We post updates, events and much more.
YouTube
Watch a selection of archival videos plus some in-house videos such as “The Criminal Underworld of Sydney in the 1840s” and “Family History at State Records NSW”
Upcoming talks and tours
Introduction for Family and Local Historians
Learn how to make the best use of State Records online and reading room resources. Presenter: Christine Yeats
Hosted by the Society of Australian Genealogists
Bookings essential $15.00 members ($20.00 non-members)
6 October 10:30-12:00
Sydney Records Centre
Contact: Julie Morgan
Phone: 9247 3953
Probate, Deceased Estate and Curator of Intestate Estate records
Lindsay Allen will present this talk for the Wyong Chapter of the First Fleeters.
8 October 10:30-11:30
Wyong RSL club cnr Margaret and Anzac Ave
Contact: John Haxton
Phone: 4353 2524
Maitland & District Genealogical Society Family History Fair
Gail Davis will be hosting a stall at the Maitland & District Genealogical Society Family History Fair. She will be presenting a talk on researching the NSW State archives.
9 October 10:00-3:00
Maitland City Bowls, Sports and Recreation Club, Arthur Street, Rutherford
Contact: Ann Campbell
Phone: 4937 5301
School records
Emily Hanna will present on records about pupils, teachers and the running of schools
12 October 3:15-4:15
Hornsby Shire Library, 28-44 George Street Hornsby
Contact: Niall Clugston
Phone: 9847 6807
What’s new at State Records
Gail Davis will be presenting ‘What’s new at State Records’s including what’s new and available in the reading room. Holroyd Family History Group meeting.
17 October 10:00-11:00
Holroyd Library
Contact: Richard Boots
Phone: 9631 2092
Kingswood Open Day
There will be a number of talks on popular family history and research topics and behind the scenes tours.
28 October 10:00am-3:00pm
Western Sydney Records Centre 143 O’Connell Street Kingswood
Have a look at the Open Day webpage
Royal Australian Historical Society State History Conference Lindsay Allen will be presenting 'NSW State archives relating to inquests into fires'
30 October 2:00-2:30
East Maitland Bowling Club, Banks Street, East Maitland
Contact: history@rahs.org.au
Phone: (02) 9247 8001
Lost in the Southern Tablelands – How settled were the settlers?
Talk 1: The holdings at State Records’ Regional Repositories: Archives on your doorstep
Talk 2: What at State Records is not on the Internet? Presenter Christine Yeats
5-6 November 10:00-3:00
Best Western Motel conference/reception room, Goulburn
Contact: Vicki Eldridge – Society of Australian Genealogists
Phone: 9247 3953
Two presentations: School and Railway records
The first session will discuss school, pupil and teacher records. The second session will explore the records of the NSW railways, looking at personnel records, pictorial material and other key sources for railway research.
9 November 9:00-3:00
Cessnock City Library, 65 Vincent Street Cessnock
Contact: Rose-Marie Walters
Phone: 49 934399
Old register One to Nine
Bega Valley Genealogy Society. The wealth of information about the early colony in the register, as well as the names of the early settlers, makes the Old Register an invaluable tool for all interested in Australia’s early history. Presenter: Christine Yeats
12 November 10:00-3:00
Old Court House at Pambula
Contact: Ursula Hunt
Gail Davis will present a talk on records concerning occupations and professions held as State archives, offering tips and tactics and practical advice
This event is hosted by the Society of Australian Genealogists.
30 November 10:30-12:30
Society of Australian Genealogists, Richmond Villa, 120 Kent Street Sydney
Contact: Julie Morgan
For further information check the online events program or ring Lindsay Allen on (02) 9673 1788.
About Now&Then
Now&Then is published in two ways:
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