The Public Record Office of Victoria (PROV) released thousands of new records on 1 January 2016. This isn’t “brand new” news, but with the craziness of the holidays and so-on in January, you may have missed this big news.
This is part of their “annual opening of offically closed records”, and there is no doubt that they will be valuable records for those researching their family history in Victoria. With dates ranging from the early 1900s through until the 1970s – with the greater being in the 1920s-1940s period, there are records that relate to criminals, court and trial records, divorces, education department, Victorian Railways, hospitals, asylums and nurses and a heap more.
Justine Heazlewood, the Director and Keeper of Public Records said …
“These newly opened records provide a snapshot into our history previously unseen. From 1915 Children’s Court and ward registers to 1940 asylum records, criminal trial briefs and capital case files – through these annual openings we can find out more about ourselves and our past,”
“We encourage Victorians to explore their past through our archives, whether that be tracing your family roots, researching your home or community, or simply discovering a particular time in Victoria’s history to better understand the present” .
So you can understand the privacy rules, and why some records have later dates than others:
– Records primarily concerning adults may be closed for 75 years from the year in which the records were created.
– Records concerning children as the primary subject of the record may be closed for 99 years from the year in which the records were created.
– Records such as staff records where the individuals concerned may still be in the workforce may be closed for a lesser period such as 30, 40, or 50 years as appropriate.
See below for a full list of opened records:
Criminal Trial Briefs, Office of Public Prosecutions, 1940 (Units 2871-2927)
Criminal Record Books, Supreme Court of Victoria, 1929-1940
Inward Registered Correspondence, Attorney-General’s Department, 1939-1940 (Units 18-34)
Divorce Case Files Melbourne, Supreme Court of Victoria, 1939-1940 (Units 302-319)
Secretary’s Inward Registered Correspondence, Victorian Railways, 1979-1983
Central Register of Male Prisoners, Penal & Gaols Branch, 1939-1940
Register of Names, Particulars and Personal Descriptions of Prisoners Received, Pentridge Gaol, 1939-1940 (Units 73-75)
Index to Register of Prisoners Received, Pentridge Gaol, 1937-1940
Divorce Case Files Ballarat, Ballarat Courts, 1940
Examination Registers (Technical Subjects), Education Department, 1970-1985
Capital Sentence Files, Governor, 1940
Children’s Court Register, Richmond Courts, Jan 1915-Feb 1916
Criminal Trial Brief Register II, Office of Public Prosecutions, 1940
Children’s Court Registers, Ballarat East Courts, July 1914-July 1916
Master Patient Index Cards, Alfred Hospital, 1938-1940 (Units 103-109)
Children’s Court Registers, Fitzroy Courts, July 1915-Feb 1916
Post Mortem Registers, Royal Park Mental Hospital, 1937-April 1940
Head Attendant’s Daily Report Books (Male Department), Kew Mental Hospital, Sept 1939-Oct 1940
Trial Leave Registers, Mont Park Mental Hospital, June 1920-Dec 1940
Asylum Records, St Helen’s/Pleasant View Licensed House, Feb 1938-June 1940
Head Nurses Daily Report Book (Female Wards), Kew Mental Hospital, Nov 1939-Nov 1940
Patient Clinical Notes, Kew Mental Hospital, 1939-1940
Bound Circulated Photographs and Criminal Offences of Convicted Persons, South Australia Police Department, Sept 1939-Dec 1940 (Units 40-42)
Register of Appeals to County Court Melbourne, Office of Public Prosecutions, 1936-1940
Discharge Register, Sunbury Mental Hospital, April 1937-Aug 1940
Nursing Report Books (Female Mental Hospital), Sunbury Mental Hospital, Sept 1939-Oct 1940
Historical Records Collection, Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works, May 1935-Jan 1940
Children’s Court Registers, Brighton Courts, Nov 1911-Oct 1916
Children’s Court Registers, Caulfield Courts, Nov 1912-Apr 1916
Presentments, Supreme Court of Victoria, 1939-1940 (Units 49-54)
Children’s Court Registers, Northcote Courts, July 1913-Feb 1916
Children’s Court Registers, Williamstown Courts, Dec 1913-May 1916
Children’s Court Registers, Wangaratta Courts, 1907-May 1916
Children’s Court Registers, Wahgunyah Courts, 1908-1916
General Correspondence Files, Public Transport Corporation, 1985-1987
Tramway Employees Record Cards, Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board, 1959-1960 (Units 62-68)
Correspondence Australian Railway Union, Victorian Railways, 1959-1960 (Units 5 & 6)
Accident Compensation Claim Register, Victorian Railways, 1959-1960
Education of Migrants Teacher Record Book, Education Department, 1952-1965
Technical Staffing Old Books, Education Department, 1920-1965
Board Minutes, Medical Board of Victoria, 1960-1965
Criminal Presentments and Final Orders, Court of General Sessions, Nov 1939-Nov 1940 (Units 4-7)
You can see PROVs full announcement of these new Victoria records, together with links to each on their website here.
