These registers record key details about the parties applying for permission to marry including: their names; their ages; the date of permission or refusal; ship of arrival; sentence (for the party who was the convict); whether free or bond and the name of the clergyman.
There are seven registers in the series, some of which have overlapping dates.
Six registers have been indexed, covering December 1825 to March 1841; August 1837 to February 1851 [4/4508-4511; 4/4513-4/4514].
A further register, covering January 1831 to July 1837, is still in the process of being indexed [4/4512].
- Record series in the index: NRS 12212
- Entries in the index: currently c.14,300
Sample from the register
Acknowledgement
This index was compiled by Clifford McNeil and Fay McKenzie-Edmonds [4/4508], Elizabeth Roberts [4/4510] (who also retain the copyright), and our volunteers. We wish to acknowledge their combined contribution to this index.
Further information
The earliest references to applications by convicts wishing to marry are contained in the Colonial Secretary’s Papers, 1788-1825.
The 1826-1841 clergy returns of the ‘lists of persons applying for the publication of banns’ have been indexed. The Index to NSW Marriage Banns, which was compiled by the late Joan Reese and Norma Tuck, is available on microfiche in the reading room. The clergy returns have been microfilmed and the reels are also available in the reading room.
