Australian Government, Police

and Education Gazettes

Rosemary Kopittke

Unlocking a major untapped resource

Background

All colonies published regular gazettes Trend towards online editions

British Government gazettes – London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes at www.gazettes-online.co.uk

University of Michigan worldwide lists – mostly recent http://www-personal.umich.edu/~graceyor/doctemp/gazettes/index.htm

Digital copies of historic editions make them more accessible – some indexes available Victoria Government Gazette

http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/ Archive Digital Books Australasia

http://www.gould.com.au/Archive-Digital-Books-Australasia-s/2000.htm

Queensland FHS indexes to the Queensland gazettes

British online gazettes

University of Michigan

Government Gazettes Online

Australian online gazettes

Victoria Government Gazette

Digital/Online

Archive Digital Books Australasia

Find My Past (Australasia)

Government Gazettes

Appointments – Civil and Public Service Brands Education Insolvency Intestacies and Wills / Transmission of real

estate Land records Licences Local government Professionals … and much more

Appointments – Civil and Public Service

Brands

Education

Insolvency

Insolvency

Intestacies and Wills

Transmission of real estate by death

Land records

Land records

Assessment Rolls (Tasmania)

Licences

Local Government

Professionals

Partnerships

Patents

Trademarks

Trademarks

Unclaimed letters

Volunteer Force

Police Gazettes

Early records appeared in the Government Gazette

Closed to the public for a period after creation – ranges from 30 years in Victoria to 100 years in New Zealand

Rarer than other gazettes Digitised by Archive Digital Books

Australia Some comprehensive indexes

available

Crimes committed

One of main purposes was to report on crime

What Where Details of the victim and the crime Details of the suspect Often refer to ordinary citizens

Criminals

Warrants issued Arrests People discharged from prison

These lists often include Details of the crime Name of the criminal Aliases, sex, race, location, sentence

and terms of release

Missing Persons

Missing person’s description Nature of disappearance Time of disappearance Supposed destination Details of last known whereabouts

Official police information

Personnel changes Promotions, dismissals, resignations

and appointments

Other government information

Licences

Licences of various types

Often repeats of what is found in the Government Gazette

Inter-colonial references

… South Australia

Other interesting items

Deserters Escapees (not

criminals) Horse and cattle

theft

Education Gazette

Cover a range of topics of interest Teachers – admissions, transfers,

resignations, promotions, courses Students – Junior , Senior and

university examination results Scholarships / bursaries War information – Roll of Honour TenderersDigitised by Archive Digital Books

Australasia

Teachers

Teachers (courses)

Students

Senior results - Matriculation

University

War

Tenders

Conclusions

We shouldn’t dismiss the gazettes as being irrelevant

They cover the whole population – not just government employees, criminals, teachers

In fact, they are bound to include someone in your family!