Goldmining can be a challenging field of research. The record series listed in this guide may assist.
Historical overview
The field book of Surveyor James McBrien mentions particles of gold on the Fish River near Bathurst in 1823, (see above). This was very likely the first mention of the discovery of gold in the colony but went unreported to the public as the colonial government of the day wanted to avoid a gold rush.
On 23 May 1851 following a proclamation asserting the Crown’s property in gold, regulations concerning the issue of provisional licences to mine gold, and the appointment of a Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Gold Districts were set in place to regulate a ‘gold rush’ following publicity that Edward Hargraves and John Lister had found payable amounts of gold at Ophir.
The Colonial Secretary was responsible for all matters relating to mining before 1856.
From responsible government in 1856 until 1874 the administration of mining was carried out by the Under Secretary for Lands, with local management of the gold fields being undertaken by Gold Commissioners assisted from 1866 by mining registrars. As a result of increased mining activity and general dissatisfaction with the administration of mining by the Department of Lands, the Mines Department was established on 1 May 1874 under the provisions of the Mining Act (37 Vic No13).
The Act also created a new system of mining districts and authorised the appointment of mining wardens.
How to search
Goldmining can be a challenging field for research. The series listed in this guide may assist. Some mining records listed may also contain information on the mining of other minerals not just gold. It should be noted that State Records does not hold a series of butts or certificates of Miner’s Rights.
To locate information on individual miners it may be necessary to search a number of series. The records are generally arranged by locality.
Tip: Always start with available indexes
Published Indexes
Kaye Vernon and Billie Jacobson have compiled the following indexes:
- Index to Miscellaneous records relating to the Gold Fields of NSW, [c.1847-1908]
Available on the stand-alone computers in the reading room. The records included in the index are marked with *I. - Index to Registers of Auriferous (gold) Leases 1874-1928
For more information on these indexing projects see: www.teapotgenealogy.com
A Select list of records
Colonial Secretary
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
[4/3732-33], Reel 2861 |
Copies of Letters sent to Chief Commissioner and other commissioners of Crown Lands for the Gold Districts Indexes in front of volumes |
1851-1856 |
|
Special Bundles including
See the item lists (by year range) in the Colonial Secretary Guide » |
1826-1982 |
Gold Commissioners
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
NRS 4298 to NRS 4306 |
Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Gold Districts
|
c.1851-1852 |
|
NRS 4307, NRS 4309 to NRS 4319 |
Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Gold Districts
|
c.1853-1875 |
|
NRS 4320 to NRS 4330 |
Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Gold Districts
|
c.1851-1874 |
|
[4/6854, 2/1805-6] *I |
Copies of Letters sent to Gold Commissioners |
1856-1866 |
|
[4/6855] *I |
Copies of Letters sent to Gold Commissioners |
1867-1872 |
|
[2/3511A] *I |
Letters received from Gold Commissioners, 1853-75 Miscellaneous correspondence and returns |
1853-1875 |
Gold Escort
A gold escort was formed in 1851 to provide safe passage for gold being transported from the diggings to Sydney.
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
[4/5711 part, 4/5712, 7/6291] *I |
Gold Escort returns These volumes record the quantity of gold delivered by escort from the various towns within each Gold District, the weight in boxes, total weight, amount of specie, date and name of constable making delivery to the Mint. |
1853-1870 |
|
Colonial Secretary Special Bundles
See the item lists (by year range) in the Colonial Secretary Guide » |
1826-1982 |
Treasury
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
[4/46-49] *I |
Invoices of Gold received per escorts Invoices forwarded to the Colonial Treasury by either the district Gold Commissioners or Police Magistrates. They show the following details of parcels of gold forwarded by armed escort: number and receipt of parcel, from whom gold received, to whom addressed, cash value, weight. |
1852-1855 |
|
[4/50-54] *I |
Registers of Gold Delivered Labelled "Gold Delivery Books", these volumes show: name of consignee, cash value of gold, weight of gold, date of arrival of escort, freight cost, date of delivery, signature of person taking delivery. Separate volumes were used for each of the three escorts - Northern, Western, Southern. |
1852-Jan1856 |
|
[1/2804] *I |
Monies received from Gold Commissioners for the issue of gold mining licenses |
1854-1870 |
Department of Lands
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
[9/4199-4220] |
Indexes and Registers of letters received |
1856-1866 |
|
[5/3562-3712, Map No. 6385] |
Letters received This includes correspondence from Gold Commissioners forwarding reports on gold fields, the discovery of new fields, returns of miner’s rights, gold escort arrangements, and returns showing the numbers of Chinese on the gold fields. |
1856-1866 |
|
[4/6863] *I |
Copies of letters sent to Gold Commissioners |
1870-1872 |
|
[9/605-607, 9/654-661] |
Copies of Government Gazette notices re gold fields |
1862-1872 |
Mines
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
Indexes and registers of letters received |
1874-1906 |
|
|
Letters received |
1874-1906 |
|
|
See the Special Files 1851-1874 list |
1851-1874 |
Mines – Lease Branch
These Registers of Auriferous Leases are included in the Index to Auriferous (gold) Leases, 1874-1928, also available on the stand-alone computers in the reading room.
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
[7/3112-20], copy of 7/3112-19 on Reels 1530-1532 |
Registers of leases of auriferous lands, Bathurst Mining District (Bathurst, Orange, Trunkey, Carcoar, Tuena) |
1875-1908 |
|
[7/3121-3128] |
Registers of leases of auriferous lands, Lachlan Mining District (Parkes, Cargo, Forbes, Grenfell, Bourke, Young, Barmedman, Temora) |
1875-1908 |
|
[7/3129-3133] |
Registers of leases of auriferous lands, Mudgee Mining District (Hargreaves, Gulgong, Peak Hill, Windeyer, Wellington, Parkes, Tomingby) |
1875-1908 |
|
[7/3134-3137], copy of 7/3134 on Reel 1537 |
Registers of leases of auriferous lands, New England and Clarence Mining Division (Drake, Fairfield, Lionsville, Tenterfield, Boorook) |
1875-1908 |
|
[7/3138-3146; Reels 1540-1543] |
Registers of leases of auriferous lands, Peel and Uralla Mining District (Barrington, Glen Innes, Armidale, Bulladelah, Nundle, Bingara) |
1875-1908 |
|
[7/3152-3159], copy of 7/3152-56 on Reels 1538-39 |
Registers of leases of auriferous lands, Southern Mining District (Nowra, Braidwood, Araluen, Nerriga, Nerrigundah, Moruya, Little Creek, Pambula, Milton) 1875-1908 |
1875-1908 |
|
[7/3160-3166], copy of 7/3160-3165 on Reels 1544-1546 |
Registers of leases of auriferous lands, Tambaroora and Turon Mining District |
1875-1908 |
|
[7/3147-51] |
Registers of leases of auriferous lands, Tumut and Adelong Mining District (Adelong, Tumut, Tumbarumba, Gundagai, Kiandra, Queanbeyan, Captains Flat, Albury, Cooma) |
1875-1908 |
|
[7/3179-3229, 7/3686-3688], copy of 7/3192-3193 on Reel 1529 and 7/3194-3195 on Reel 1548] |
Registers of leases of auriferous lands, various districts These registers of leases usually record number of lease, application number and applicants name(s), type and term of lease, locality, extent and description of land , date of survey and surveyor’s name and may include a sketch plan, record of payments, rents, and remarks including cancellations. It may be possible to locate the lease document referred to in these registers in NRS 10134 although it should be noted that the series is incomplete. |
1875-1928 |
The following related series are not included in the Index to Auriferous (gold) Leases, 1874-1928 but are of interest
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
[19/2689-3001] |
Miscellaneous lease documents This series is incomplete. |
c.1866-1924 |
|
[9/2945A-2961] |
Indexes and registers of letters received |
1907-1923 |
|
[8/1989-2016] |
File movement registers |
1924-1949 |
|
[19/605-1259, 19/2646-72, 10/42651-42656.1, 7/2282-85] |
Letters received Please note: very little correspondence has survived prior to 1887. |
1874-1960 |
Mining Wardens Offices and courts
Records created for particular mining districts can be found in our catalogue by searching locality — for example ‘Forbes’ to locate:
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
[7/8880] |
Forbes [Warden’s Office], Register of gold lease applications |
1899-1907 |
|
[7/86] *I |
Bathurst Court of Petty Sessions, Invoice register of gold forwarded to the Colonial Treasurer |
1851-1852 |
|
[4/6595pt] *I |
Hill End Court of Petty Sessions, Copies of Letters sent |
1871-1874 |
|
[7/140] *I |
Bathurst District Court, Register of Mining Companies (Act 24 Vic. No 21) |
1873-1886 |
Prospecting Board
The Prospecting Board was established on 12 July 1887. The Board was authorised to inspect sites proposed for prospecting by miners and estimate the cost of any work required, with the sum not exceeding 50% of the estimated costs to be provided. [1] It provided funds appropriated out of public revenue, and referred to as the Prospecting Vote. The funds were used for the promotion of prospecting for gold and other minerals, to encourage the opening of new fields, and to test the mineral deposits in the State, with assistance allotted to prospectors for approved work on sites holding a mining title.[2]
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
[7/3046-50] |
Ledgers These volumes contain details of name of account (either mining company or miner), location, date and registered number of ministerial approval of prospecting aid, any conditions upon which aid is granted, amount of aid, dates and registered numbers of applications or claims against aid, description of work performed for which aid is claimed, voucher number and amount paid. Other notations included are cancellation of aid with reference to relevant correspondence, the transfer of aid, abandonment and repayments to the department from profits. Indexes in front of volumes. |
1888, 1892-1932 |
Others series which may be of interest are:
- NRS 10201, Indexes and registers of letters received [Prospecting Board]
- NRS 10202, Letters received [Prospecting Board]
- NRS 10203, Minutes of proceedings
Company Records
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
[8/1376-1382] |
Dissolved mining partnerships See the item lists of partnerships held in the reading room. |
1862-1967 |
|
Registers of No Liability Mining Companies Index of company names in front of volumes. |
1881-1935 |
State Records holds an Index to Dead (defunct) Companies (pre 1969) which can be checked if you know the name of the gold mining company.
Maps
| Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
|
Crown plans Maps listed under gold field, gold diggings or place. There is an online index available to search and a card Index to Maps and Plans in the reading room (look under Gold Fields). |
1792-1880 |
|
|
[Map No.6186] |
Geological map to accompany the Surveyor General's report on the goldfields in the counties of Wellington and Roxburgh | 1852 |
|
[Map Nos. 10735-13430, 18922-43, 19113-53, 30000-31934, 32263-361, 32678-705, 32706-37, 33000-887] |
Cancelled maps [Mines] These are mostly parish and county maps, but there are a few of towns and mining districts. They record mineral leases within twenty years of issue. Card index to maps available in the Western Sydney Reading Room. |
1880-1976 |
Additional sources
Additional records relating to gold mining may be found in our catalogue under the following agencies and activities:
- Activity No. 192, Gold mining 1851-1894
- Activity No. 200, Mining regulation
- Agency No. 76, Department of Mines 1874-1891
- Agency No. 84, Mining Board 1874-1877
NSW Government Gazettes
Proclamations and regulations concerning gold mining, contracts for the conveyance of gold and land being reserved for goldfields and other mining notices were published in the Government Gazette.
Arrivals
The lure of gold led many immigrants and others to come to NSW see:
Some crew members could have ‘jumped ship’ to get to the goldfields. Jim Melton’s, Ship's Deserters, 1852-1900. Library of Australian History, 1986 may assist in identifying them.
Insolvency/Bankruptcy - online indexes
Department of Primary Industries: Mineral Resources DIGS Database
The DIGS database delivers exploration and geoscience information. It is comprised of exploration reports, geological maps and plans, plus documents and publications produced by the Department.
Further Reading
- NRS 1407, Royal Commission into the present Gold Fields Act and regulations of NSW and into the best means of securing a permanent water supply for the Gold Fields of the Colony, 1870-71 Final Report and appendices, 71/1999 in [7/6399].
- Lynette Ramsay Silver, A Fool’s Gold: William Tipple Smith’s challenge to the Hargraves Myth, Jaranda, 1986.
Footnotes
[1] Votes and Proceedings 1887, Second Session, Vol 4, Prospecting for Gold and Other Minerals (Regulations for Distribution of Vote For), printed 12 July 1887, p.509.
[2] Parliamentary Papers 1929-30, Vol 3, Annual Report of the Department of Mines for the year 1929, p.207.
*I Indicates the records are included in the Index to Miscellaneous records relating to the Gold Fields of NSW, [c.1847-1908] which is available on the stand-alone computers in the reading room.
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