Archives In Brief 64 - An introduction to the Colonial Secretary's correspondence

• Background
• Description of the records
• Colonial Secretary Correspondence Guide
• Main series of records: 1788-1825
• 1826-1982
• Published indexes

Background

From 1788 to 1820 the Secretary to the Governor acted as Secretary to the Colony. In 1821, Frederick Goulburn was the first officer to be officially appointed to the position of Colonial Secretary, although the offices of Secretary to the Governor and Colonial Secretary were not separated until May 1824.

After responsible government in 1856 the Colonial Secretary (at times known as the Principal Secretary, or Chief Secretary) frequently acted as Premier prior to the establishment of the Premier's Department in 1907. The diversity of the functions and duties of the Colonial Secretary are shown in the administrative arrangements published in the New South Wales Government Gazette, No. 155, of 9 October 1856.

In further administrative arrangements, notified by the Governor on 4 October 1859, the Colonial Secretary was referred to as the 'Colonial Secretary or Chief Secretary to the Government'. This was probably the beginning of the use of the title of 'Chief Secretary', which was gradually adopted as the title of the office, although an official ministerial title change did not occur until 1 April 1959 under the Ministers of the Crown Act (No. 4 of 1959).

As government administration expanded during the twentieth century a number of functions of the Chief Secretary's Department were transferred to other departments. The Department was abolished in January 1975 when, under the changes in the Machinery of Government, the Department of Services was established. The Department of Services was abolished in May 1982, and its functions were reallocated to other departments.

Description of the records

As a result of the major re-organisation in the Colonial Secretary's Office in 1826, it is convenient to discuss the records from the time periods

• 1788-1825 and
• 1826-1982.

Colonial Secretary Correspondence Guide

This AIB refers to the Colonial Secretary Correspondence Guide, 1788-1982. The hardcopy version is available in the reading rooms. The Colonial Secretary Correspondence Guide, 1788-1982 can also be accessed online. This Guide provides further details on most of the records listed below, as well as additional information on the Department and its correspondence.

Main series of records: 1788-1825

Index

Index to the Colonial Secretary Papers, 1788-1825 *ARK
The index is arranged alphabetically by surname and subject.

Letters received

NRS 897, Main series of letters received, 1788-1826 *ARK
Reels 6041-6064, 6071-6072
This includes letters from Government officials and private individuals; copies of agreements; despatches; general orders; instructions; ordinary regulations; proclamations; memoranda; reports and returns. Letters received from establishments at Bathurst, Moreton Bay, Newcastle, Port Macquarie and Van Diemen's Land are also included. See Appendix B of the interim guide for full details.

NRS 898, Special bundles, 1794-1825 *ARK
Reels 6020-6040, 6070; Fiche 3260-3312
These relate to a particular subject or topic. Government and General Orders and other administrative instruments are included in this category. See Appendix C of the interim guide for a full list of titles.
For a full list of titles see the Guide to the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence. An electronic listing of the Special bundles is available in both reading rooms.

NRS 899, Memorials to the Governor, 1810-26 *ARK
Reels 3001-3162
These mainly comprise applications for land grants, leases and Tickets of Occupation. Requests relating to other matters such as applications for assigned convicts or to be victualled from the Stores are also included. Memorials frequently contain some background history or other details to support the applicant's case. See the Guide to the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence.

NRS 900, Petitions to the Governor from convicts for mitigations of sentences, 1810-26 *ARK
Fiche 3163-3253
These are principally petitions from convicts, or from family members or other persons on their behalf, for some mitigation of sentence such as a ticket of leave or a pardon. These documents often contain information as to the convict's general conduct and history including the name of the ship of arrival, colonial employment and family details. For full details see the Guide to the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence.

NRS 901, Copies of letters sent and received, mainly within the Colony, or 'Document Books Nos.1-3', c.1817-27 *ARK
Fiche 6016-6017
These contain copies of correspondence and enclosures; reports of boards; public notices and proclamations; returns; bonds and specifications and licences.

NRS 903, Lists of memorials, letters etc. received, 1822-25 *ARK
Fiche 3254-3259
These comprise nominal lists of memorials, letters etc. received and a memorandum of papers handed over from the Private to the Colonial Secretary at the end of the year 1825.

Letters sent

NRS 933, Copies of letters sent by Lieutenant Governor Foveaux, administering the colony, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, 4 Sep 1808-7 Nov 1809, and to Governor Bligh, 28 Jul 1808-5 Jan 1809 *ARK
Reel 6001

NRS 934, Copies of letters sent and received by Lieutenant Governor Paterson, Dec 1808-Nov 1809 *ARK
Reel 6001
The correspondence was conducted mainly with persons within the colony. At the opposite end of the volume are copies of letters from Paterson addressed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

NRS 935, Copies of letters sent: local and overseas, 28 Dec 1809-28 Dec 1813 *ARK
Reel 6002
Copies of letters addressed to officials, individuals and corporate bodies in and around for example, Sydney, Parramatta, and the Hawkesbury. There are also a few letters to overseas countries.

NRS 936, Copies of letters sent to Van Diemen's Land, Newcastle and Norfolk Island, 6 Jan 1810-16 Dec 1813 
Reel 6003
Copies of letters written by the Governor and his Secretary to officials and individuals usually residing at, or intending to go to, these places.

NRS 937, Copies of letters sent within the Colony, 1 Jan 1814-30 Jan 1827 *ARK [1814-25 only]
Reels 6004-6016 1814-25
Copies of letters addressed to officials including the Governor, corporate bodies and individuals in the Colony and its out-settlements.

NRS 938, Copies of letters sent and received, mainly within the colony, or "Document Books Nos. 1-3", c.1817-Oct 1827
Fiche 6016-6017

NRS 939, Copies of letters sent outside the Colony, 'foreign', 17 Jan 1814-21 Oct 1856  *ARK [1814-25 only]
Reels 6018-6019, 2649 and 898-901
The letters are principally addressed to officials and individuals in England, to officials in India, the Cape of Good Hope, Mauritius and Batavia. The letters to individuals are mainly in reply to enquiries about settlers and convicts. From 30 December 1823 letters to Van Diemen's Land are included.

1826-1982

Letters received

The Guide to Colonial Secretary Correspondence is now online.

The Colonial Secretary's letters received (in-letters) after 1826 are arranged in the following groups:

• Main series, 1826-1982
• Minutes and Memoranda
• Commissioners of Claims, 1832-55
• Telegrams
• Indexes and registers

Main series, 1826-1982

NRS 905, Main series of letters received, 1826-1982
Letters on a particular matter are located with the last letter on the subject. Between 1826-32 the letters are arranged by registered number; from 1833 to 1849 they are arranged in subject bundles, usually according to the last person who handled the matter and from 1850 onwards they are arranged by registered number. For a searchable item listing see the Guide to the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence.

NRS 906, Special bundles, 1826-1982
The list of Special Bundles is available in the Guide to the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence.

NRS 907, Letters from individuals re land, 1826-56
Reels 1081-1200, CODs 541-553
Requests for land — leases and purchases — continued to be received by the Colonial Secretary's office between 1826 and 1856. These letters were separated out of the main series of incoming correspondence. They can be very important because the applicant often provides background information about themselves that is not available in other sources. The letters are indexed and the index is available to search online.

Minutes and Memoranda

NRS 909, Governor's and Colonial Secretary's minutes and memoranda, 1826-1927 
These form a separate series but have a close relationship with the in-letters with cross-referencing in the registers of each. For further details and to refer to an item listing see the Guide to the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence.

NRS 910, Registers of minutes and memoranda, 1826-17 August 1927
Reels 2725-2727
Indexes are located in the front of each volume.

Commissioners of Claims, 1832-55

Archives in Brief 55 provides a brief overview. For further information about the Court of Claims and the item lists see the Colonial Secretary Correspondence Guide under Memorials and reports received from the Commissioners of Claims, 1832-55.

Telegrams

For detailed lists of NRS 1008 through to NRS 1012 see the Colonial Secretary Correspondence Guide, Inventory of series.

Indexes and registers

NRS 922, Indexes and registers to letters received, 1826-1921
For an overview see Archives in Brief 65. Detailed item lists of the Indexes and Registers to letters received, 1826-1921 are available online.

Skeleton register, 1826-45
State Records has compiled a 'skeleton register' of letters received for the period 1826-45. This in-house finding aid is designed to assist in locating individual letters. It is available in the reading rooms.

NRS 923, Card index, 1922-41

NRS 924, File movement registers, 1922-66
See Appendix E of the interim guide for item lists and further information.

Letters sent

For a complete listing of the numerous series of letters sent (out-letters) see the Inventory of series in the Colonial Secretary Correspondence Guide online. Examples of some of the more useful subjects are: letters sent re convicts, to individuals and organizations, naval and military officers etc. re land and re immigration.

Published indexes

Mrs Joan Reese has compiled the following indexes to the Colonial Secretary's correspondence. These indexes are available in the reading rooms.

• Colonial Secretary's correspondence: Index to convicts and others, 1826-94 [Fiche 5557-5559; 5736-5738; 5907-5909; 5955-5957; 5966-5968; 6069-6074, 6127-6129, 6433-6435, 6448-6450, 6453-55]
• Colonial Secretary's correspondence: Index to letters sent re convicts 1826-May 1855 [Fiche 5912-5914; 5921-5925]

Further information

Researchers should consult Archives Investigator See also Archives in Brief 65 and Archives in Brief 104.

Records more than 30 years old are open to public access.

*ARK signifies that a copy of the record or guide is part of the Archives Resources Kit and is held by the community access points.

© State of New South Wales through the State Records Authority, 2003. This work may be freely reproduced and distributed for most purposes, however some restrictions apply. See our copyright notice or contact us.