429
edits
Notes added to table; fixed heading levels
(Tabulated dates of commencement; added reliable source) |
(Notes added to table; fixed heading levels) |
||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
For birth, death, and marriage records before civil registration, read the [[Australia Church Records|church records]] article. | For birth, death, and marriage records before civil registration, read the [[Australia Church Records|church records]] article. | ||
== General Historical Background == | |||
Civil registration of births, deaths and marriages was introduced in England in 1837 but was not made compulsory until 1875.<ref>Chas. H. Wickens, "Messenger Prize Essay (1905)" (1909) 43 (1) '''Journal of the Institute of Actuaries''' PP 23-84 accessed via JStor &amp;lt;http://www.jstor.org/stable/41136529&amp;gt; accessed 15 July 2013, p. 38.</ref> As was often the case, the colonial legislators considered applying Imperial legislative innovations and began to pass their own laws establishing civil registration. However, the schemes implemented were ahead of the mother Parliament by requiring from the beginning '''compulsory''' civil registration soon after the event. The dates of commencement of civil registration in each colony/state and territory are: <ref>[http://www.linc.tas.gov.au/?a=260750 Deaths outside Tasmania] Government of Tasmanaia. LINC Tasmania, bringing together the State Library of Tasmania, Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office (TAHO), Adult Education and Online Access Centres. Accessed 15 Jul 2013.</ref> | Civil registration of births, deaths and marriages was introduced in England in 1837 but was not made compulsory until 1875.<ref>Chas. H. Wickens, "Messenger Prize Essay (1905)" (1909) 43 (1) '''Journal of the Institute of Actuaries''' PP 23-84 accessed via JStor &amp;amp;amp;lt;http://www.jstor.org/stable/41136529&amp;amp;amp;gt; accessed 15 July 2013, p. 38.</ref> As was often the case, the colonial legislators considered applying Imperial legislative innovations and began to pass their own laws establishing civil registration. However, the schemes implemented were ahead of the mother Parliament by requiring from the beginning '''compulsory''' civil registration soon after the event. The dates of commencement of civil registration in each colony/state and territory are: <ref>[http://www.linc.tas.gov.au/?a=260750 Deaths outside Tasmania] Government of Tasmanaia. LINC Tasmania, bringing together the State Library of Tasmania, Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office (TAHO), Adult Education and Online Access Centres. Accessed 15 Jul 2013.</ref> | ||
{| | {| | ||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
| 1838 | | 1838 | ||
| 1 Dec | | 1 Dec | ||
| | | <br> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[South Australia BMDs|South Australia]] | | [[South Australia BMDs|South Australia]] | ||
| 1842 | | 1842 | ||
| 1 Jul | | 1 Jul | ||
| | | <br> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Western Australia BMDs|Western Australia]] | | [[Western Australia BMDs|Western Australia]] | ||
| 1841 | | 1841 | ||
| 9 Sep | | 9 Sep | ||
| | | <br> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Victoria BMDs|Victoria]] | | [[Victoria BMDs|Victoria]] | ||
| 1853 | | 1853 | ||
| 1 July | | 1 July | ||
| | | <br> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Queensland BDMs|Queensland]] | | [[Queensland BDMs|Queensland]] | ||
| 1856 | | 1856 | ||
| 1 March | | 1 March | ||
| | | ¶ Note 1 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[New South Wales BMDs|New South Wales]] | | [[New South Wales BMDs|New South Wales]] | ||
| 1856 | | 1856 | ||
| 1 March | | 1 March | ||
| | | <br> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Northern Territory BMDs|Northern Territory]] | | [[Northern Territory BMDs|Northern Territory]] | ||
| 1870 | | 1870 | ||
| 24 Aug | | 24 Aug | ||
| | | ¶ Note 2 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Australian Capital Territory BMDs|Australian Capital Territory]] | | [[Australian Capital Territory BMDs|Australian Capital Territory]] | ||
| 1930 | | 1930 | ||
| 1 Jan | | 1 Jan | ||
| | | ¶ Note 3 | ||
|} | |} | ||
State Registrars' Details and Costs of Certificates | Note 1. Civil registration commenced in Queensland when it was still part of the Colony of New South Wales. The relevant records were transferred to the control of the new Colony of Queensland at its formation in 1859. | ||
Note 2. Civil registration began in the Northern Territory when it was administered from Adelaide. Responsibility was taken over by the Commonwealth from South Australia in 1911. The function was transferred to the Northern Territory Government in 1978 when internal self-government was granted. | |||
Note 3. Civil registration began in the Australian Capital Territory from the creation of the Territory. At first, the function was carried out by New South Wales until 1930 when the Commonwealth took over. In 1988, the function was transferred to the Government of the Australian Capital Territory when internal self-government was granted.<br> | |||
<br> | |||
== State Registrars' Details and Costs of Certificates == | |||
=== <br> === | |||
*http://www.coraweb.com.au/bdmaut.htm | *http://www.coraweb.com.au/bdmaut.htm | ||
| Line 64: | Line 74: | ||
At first, civil registration required the clergy to make copies of marriage, baptism, and burial records. These records are known as civil transcripts of church records. Because churches were involved in early civil registration, it is difficult to clearly distinguish between civil registration and church records. Later, about 1856, the responsibility for civil registration was placed in the hands of government employees independent of the church. Civil registration then required people to report all births, marriages, and deaths to a civil registrar. | At first, civil registration required the clergy to make copies of marriage, baptism, and burial records. These records are known as civil transcripts of church records. Because churches were involved in early civil registration, it is difficult to clearly distinguish between civil registration and church records. Later, about 1856, the responsibility for civil registration was placed in the hands of government employees independent of the church. Civil registration then required people to report all births, marriages, and deaths to a civil registrar. | ||
== Information Recorded in Civil Registers == | |||
When civil registration first began, there was no common standard of recording information, so the information listed may vary from state to state. Later records generally give more complete information than earlier ones. | When civil registration first began, there was no common standard of recording information, so the information listed may vary from state to state. Later records generally give more complete information than earlier ones. | ||
| Line 112: | Line 122: | ||
*Date and place of civil registration<br> | *Date and place of civil registration<br> | ||
== Indexes to Civil Registration Records == | |||
Indexes to Australian births, marriages and deaths may be found at at local, state, national and genealogical society libraries on microfiche and CD. Some Registrars' websites include free or fee-based index search facilities. Certificates may be ordered from the Registrar of the appropriate state or territory. Online ordering and delivery of certificates is available on some Registrars' web sites. Death information may also be obtained from inquests, wills, newspaper and other indexes. | Indexes to Australian births, marriages and deaths may be found at at local, state, national and genealogical society libraries on microfiche and CD. Some Registrars' websites include free or fee-based index search facilities. Certificates may be ordered from the Registrar of the appropriate state or territory. Online ordering and delivery of certificates is available on some Registrars' web sites. Death information may also be obtained from inquests, wills, newspaper and other indexes. | ||
| Line 136: | Line 146: | ||
A compilation of most of these Pioneer Indexes was produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a set of four compact discs entitled ''Australian Vital Records Index 1788–1905''. It is available for purchase, except in Australia, through the Salt Lake Distribution Center, 1999 West 1700 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84104-4233, USA and online http://www.ldscatalog.com,[http://www.ldscatalog.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10151&categoryId=13703&langId=-1&cg1=13669&cg2=13701&cg3=&cg4=&cg5= Vital Records Indexes]. | A compilation of most of these Pioneer Indexes was produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a set of four compact discs entitled ''Australian Vital Records Index 1788–1905''. It is available for purchase, except in Australia, through the Salt Lake Distribution Center, 1999 West 1700 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84104-4233, USA and online http://www.ldscatalog.com,[http://www.ldscatalog.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10151&categoryId=13703&langId=-1&cg1=13669&cg2=13701&cg3=&cg4=&cg5= Vital Records Indexes]. | ||
== Locating Civil Registration Records == | |||
Birth, marriage, and death records may be obtained from the state civil registration offices or archives in Australia. | Birth, marriage, and death records may be obtained from the state civil registration offices or archives in Australia. | ||
| Line 177: | Line 187: | ||
Fisher MIC NEW South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and<br>929.394 Marriages<br>1 NSW Registry of births, deaths and marriages<br>pre 1956 to 1905.<br>Sydney: W and F Pascoe 1982-<br><br>Internet: http://www.caslon.com.au/registersnote1.htm | Fisher MIC NEW South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and<br>929.394 Marriages<br>1 NSW Registry of births, deaths and marriages<br>pre 1956 to 1905.<br>Sydney: W and F Pascoe 1982-<br><br>Internet: http://www.caslon.com.au/registersnote1.htm | ||
== Ryerson Index == | |||
*http://www.ryersonindex.org | *http://www.ryersonindex.org | ||
| Line 188: | Line 198: | ||
"The index itself cannot by definition be considered a primary source of data, but is purely a research aid to direct the researcher to the original source of a notice." | "The index itself cannot by definition be considered a primary source of data, but is purely a research aid to direct the researcher to the original source of a notice." | ||
== Colonial Tasmanian Family Links Database == | |||
The Colonial Tasmanian Family Links database is designed to provide an '''initial''' online genealogical research resource. It links individuals with other members of their families living in Tasmania in the 19th Century. The information about individuals is based primarily on records of births, deaths, and marriages and similar events, held in the Archives Office and the linkages have been developed by family historians associated with the former National Heritage Foundation in the late 1990s. The database contains approximately five hundred thousand entries. | The Colonial Tasmanian Family Links database is designed to provide an '''initial''' online genealogical research resource. It links individuals with other members of their families living in Tasmania in the 19th Century. The information about individuals is based primarily on records of births, deaths, and marriages and similar events, held in the Archives Office and the linkages have been developed by family historians associated with the former National Heritage Foundation in the late 1990s. The database contains approximately five hundred thousand entries. | ||
| Line 196: | Line 206: | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
== Records at the Family History Library == | |||
The Family History Library has microfilmed very few Australian civil registration records because the government has placed restrictions on public access to these records. By law, personal application must be made to the various state archives for copies of the certificates. | The Family History Library has microfilmed very few Australian civil registration records because the government has placed restrictions on public access to these records. By law, personal application must be made to the various state archives for copies of the certificates. | ||