Convict Guide - published 2006 - Manual / Resource - Page 11
Guide to New South Wales State archives relating to convicts and convict administration
Introduction
The archives of the State of New South Wales are a unique and irreplaceable part of our
community's collective memory and cultural heritage. They document the business of
government in New South Wales, and its interaction with individuals and groups in our society,
from the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 until today.
About this Guide
This Guide aims to make the records concerning convicts transported to New South Wales
more accessible to researchers by bringing together records from the holdings of State
Records. It is based on the Guide to Convict Records in the Archives Office of New South
Wales, Second Edition, 1981, which was prepared by Dawn Troy. Gail Davis, Senior Archivist
Research and Publications revised and updated the Guide. She was assisted by members of
State Records' staff, in particular Tuula Lepisto who typed the Guide. Members of the history
community also provided valuable advice and feedback on earlier drafts of the Guide. It was
indexed by Alan Walker. Professor Brian H. Fletcher assisted with editorial work on the
historical sections of this Guide.
The Guide lists the main record series in our collection relating to convicts such as those from
the Colonial Secretary, Principal Superintendent of Convicts, Courts, Police and the Governor.
It also includes record series from other agencies that may be useful in studying the convict
system. A brief description of the functions of the main agencies has been included. Full
descriptions of these and other agencies listed may be found in Archives Investigator, our online archives information and access system. The records covered in this Guide date from 1788
through to cessation of convict transportation to New South Wales in the 1840s and the
subsequent winding down of the convict system.
The Guide also includes records held elsewhere which complement the State archives. In
addition, a Timeline listing the significant events between 1779 and 1868 that marked the
convict era is included. The Guide finishes with a glossary of terms and abbreviations,
bibliography and index.
The electronic version of this Guide is available on State Records' website at
. The Web version will be updated when further records are
identified.
Structure
The Guide
The Guide is arranged in eighteen chapters on particular topics which follow the course of a
convict's 'career'. Some chapters, however, such as Health and Welfare and Correspondence
may be relevant throughout. Each chapter begins with historical background then lists indexes
which may be useful; it then lists the New South Wales government offices and the series of
records created and maintained by them that may be useful to the researcher. The agencies
are arranged alphabetically and the record series are usually listed chronologically underneath
them. Where there are one or two major series, these are listed first to aid the researcher.
Other series are then listed underneath by agency. Where additional or complementary series
are held by other institutions these are listed at the end of the relevant section as 'Sources
held elsewhere'. Where there are additional records held by State Records, these are listed
under 'Additional Sources'.
Indexes
Indexes mentioned at the beginning of each chapter are all available in State Records' reading
rooms. Some are available on State Records' website where indicated. Many of the published
indexes are also available in libraries. While the published indexes mentioned at the beginning
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State Records Authority of New South Wales