Saint Helena Colonial Records

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Saint Helena

Colonial Records

British Colonization (1657-present)

Saint Helena is part of the British Overseas Territory, which includes Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. It is Britain's second-oldest overseas territory after Bermuda. A charter to govern Saint Helena was given to the British East India Company in 1657, and the island was colonized in 1659. The British Nationality Act 1981 reclassified Saint Helena and the other two Crown colonies as British Dependent Territories. The British Overseas Teritories Act of 2002 gave full British citizenship to Saint Helena islanders, and the three dependent territories were renamed the British Overseas Territories. In 2009, Saint Helena and its two territories received equal status under a new constitution, and the British Overseas Territory was renamed Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. However, Saint Helena remains a constitutional monarchy under Elizabeth II of Great Britain.

Record collection	Years covered	Record type	Language	Who is in the records
The Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC), 1384-1858	1679-1857	Wills	English	Until 1858, all wills had to be proved by the church and other courts. Most of the individuals in these records were relatively wealthy.
British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, Saint Helena at Findmypast - index & images ($)	1796-1911	Births and baptisms	English	Children born to those working within the armed forces, merchant navy, and consular forces, as well as, civilian ship passengers.
British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages, Saint Helena at Findmypast - index & images ($)	1836-1905	Banns and marriages	English	British armed forces members and civilians who were married abroad and at sea
British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials, COUNTRY at Findmypast - index & images ($)	1836-1964	Deaths and burials	English	Members of the British armed forces who died while serving their country overseas, British civilians who died while traveling or working overseas, and individuals (including seaman) who died at sea.
British Civil Service Evidence Of Age at Findmypast - index ($)	1832-1897	Civil Service applications and paperwork	English	Individuals who worked for, or applied to join, the British Civil Service.
Deed books, 1729-1849	1729-1840	Notarial records	English	Includes deeds, bills of sale, mortgage bonds, leases, indentures, permissions to marry, powers of attorney, letters of emancipation, affidavits, guardianships, etc.
Council consultations, 1678-1836	1678-1836	Probate records	English	Early consultations include minutes of court sessions, passenger lists, and census lists. Later consultations include muster rolls, court martials, account statements, tax lists, leases, correspondence, wills, proclamations, etc. After 1824 the consultations are divided by subject.
Inventories of estates of deceased persons, 1744-1760	1744-1760	Probate records	English	Microfilm of the originals at the Government Archives, Jamestown. Created by the East India Company.
Indexes to wills, administrations, inventories and estates, 1618-1909	1705-1836	Probate records	English	Microfilm of original records in the British Library, London. Created by the East India Company.
Register of wills, 1682-1839	1682-1839	Probate records	English	Microfilm of the originals at the Government Archives, Jamestown. Vols. individually indexed. Created by the East India Company.

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