Index to convict bank accounts, 1837-70

— filed under: convicts, indexes

Each entry in this index provides name, alias (if any), ship, year of arrival (if known), status (such as free, holding a Ticket of Leave or Conditional Pardon), State Records reference number, reel number and remarks. There are c.1300 entries.

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Historical background

Prior to Commissioner Bigge's Report on Convicts (printed in 1822) taking effect, convicts could retain the money they brought with them for their own use. This money could often 'purchase' a more comfortable life during their period of servitude.

One of Commissioner Bigge's recommendations concerned the care of convicts' property (including their money) on their arrival in the colony:

It is recommended ... that their Clothes and Bedding should be taken care of on their Landing and that the Money belonging to Individuals should be taken and deposited .... and not allowed to be held by the Superintendent or any other person.

Following the implementation of the Bigge Report, the Surgeon-Superintendents of the ships on which the convicts were transported were entrusted with convict monies during the voyage out (some lists may be found in NRS 1155 Musters and other papers) and these funds were then deposited in the Savings Bank on arrival.

In addition to these arrangements, friends or relations could deposit money to be held in trust for a convict or a convict could earn money for extra work or duties performed. The convict could not access the money until proof of reformation could be shown such as having received a ticket of leave, pardon or on completion of sentence. Extenuating circumstances such as the money being required to pay for defence in a court trial were also taken into consideration. Application could be made to access the sums held to their credit and if approved a warrant was issued which authorised the money to be withdrawn.

Record series used to compile the index

The following series were used to compile the index:

NRS 12221, Convicts' bank balances, 1833-40, Reel 595

On presentation of the warrant at the Savings bank the convicts' money was given to the bearer of the warrant. This series contains the butts of the warrants issued and gives the number and date of warrant, the convict's name, ship of arrival and condition (for example, ticket of leave, free, dead).

While the date range given refers to the date of the warrant many convicts included arrived many years prior to 1837 and only received the warrant on becoming free. For the years 1840-55 in volumes [4/4547-48] letter numbers prefaced by the abbreviation Col. Sec. refer to Colonial Secretary's Correspondence. Others which simply give a letter number appear to relate to the Principal Superintendent of Convicts' correspondence which has not survived. For some convicts there may also be additional letters to be found by searching the correspondence of the Colonial Secretary. The warrants were signed on behalf of the Governor and addressed to the Trustees of the Bank.

This is the first series of records concerning convict bank accounts to be indexed.

The remaining series to be indexed are:

NRS 12218, Convicts' bank balances, 1833-40, Reel 595

This is a list of prisoners with the names of the ships on which they arrived and the year of arrival which shows the amount in the savings bank ledger and amount in the convict ledger. The entries are arranged by ship. The entries in this volume begin in 1833 and continue to 1840. On page 56 there is a further entry giving details of amount standing to credit of prisoners, accrued interest and total amount; this is dated 17 May 1871 and signed by Geo. C. Allen, Managing Trustee of the Savings Bank. There is an alphabetical index by convict's name and ship name towards the back of the volume.

NRS 12219, Convicts' saving bank ledgers, 1824-48, PRO Reel 58, CO 207/4-5

The accounts are arranged by ship of arrival. It records date, name, ship, interest, principal, remarks and date paid. There is an index to ships in the front of each volume.

NRS 12220, Convicts' savings bank cash book, 1824-27 and letters received from the Colonial Secretary relating to the savings bank, Jul 1826-Mar 1827, PRO Reel 58, CO 207/6

Volume [2/8392A] is arranged alphabetically by convicts' name and records date, ship of arrival, and amounts. Some entries have remarks concerning the payment of monies.

Volume [2/8392B] contains correspondence from the Colonial Secretary.

The volumes listed at NRS 12219 and 12220 were filmed as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project when they were held in England prior to their being returned to State Records (then Archives Office) New South Wales on 18 June 1974.