The correspondence of the Colonial Secretary is one of the most valuable sources of information on all aspects of the history of the Colony and the State of New South Wales. Chiefly responsible for this was the Colonial Secretary's pre-eminence in public life and the fortunate occurrence of the survival of the greater part of his papers. Included among these are earlier papers of the Secretary to the Governor taken over by the first Colonial Secretary, Frederick Goulburn, on his appointment in 1821. The correspondence records of the Colonial Secretary's/Chief Secretary's successor agency, the Department of Services, are also here.
Table of Contents
Letters Received
1788-1826
List and Description of Series
Index to the Papers of the New South Wales Colonial Secretary, 1788-1825 [Online Index]
Letters and Petitions received, 1788-1826:
- Main series of letters received, 1788-1826
- Memorials to the Governor, 1810-1826
- Petitions to the Governor from convicts for mitigations of sentences, 1810-1826
1826+
Indexes and Registers to Letters Received, 1826-1966:
- NRS 922: Indexes to Registers of letters received, 1826-1906
- NRS 922: Registers of letters received, 1826-1906
- NRS 922: Index/Registers, 1907-1921
- NRS 923 and 924: Card Index and File Movement Registers, 1922-1966
Main Series of Letters Received, 1826-1982 [searchable database - Indexes Online]
- NRS 906: 1826-1832
- NRS 906: 1833-1845
- NRS 906: 1846-1856
- NRS 906: 1857-1873
- NRS 906: 1874-1900
- NRS 906: 1901-1982
Letters from Individuals re Land, 1826-56 [Indexes Online]
Memorials and reports received from the Commissioners of Claims, 1832-55
Plays submitted to the Colonial Secretary for approval
Notes on bundle titles and notations in registers
Letters Sent
List of Series - Chronological
General Description of Letter Books
Guide to Persons addressed in the various series
Historical background
Overview
- History of the Office
- The Letters Received and other papers, 1788-1826
- The Out-letter Books, 1808-25
- The Publication of the Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788-1825
- The Letters Received, 1826-1982
- Out-letter Systems, 1826-1915
- References
Administrative arrangements, 1856-1901
The Secretaries, Ministers and Heads:
- Secretaries to the Governor, 1788-1824
- The Colonial Secretaries, 1821-1959
- The Chief Secretaries, 1959-76
- The Ministers for Services, 1975-82
- The Heads of the Department, 1856-1982