News from Access Services at Public Record Office Victoria
October 2005 – Number 13

rEsearch is a bi-monthly update on public access news at Public Record Office Victoria (PROV). Current and past editions of rEsearch are available online here and are also emailed to subscribers. Email a request to ask.prov@dvc.vic.gov.au if you want to be included on our subscriber list.

Contents
1. Provenance Issue Number Four.
2. Koorie Records Unit
3. Exhibitions
• Forgotten Faces: Chinese and the Law
• It's A Dog's Life!
• People and Parliament: Landmark Decisions 1855-2006
4. What's New
• New Series Available on the PROV Online Catalogue
5. Suggestion Box at VAC
6. Seminars 2005
• Archival Support Program, February - November 2005
• Seminar Series, June – November 2005
7. Saturday Openings, October – December 2005
8. Tours of the VAC
9. PROV Calendar October - November 2005
10. Feedback
11. About this publication

1. Provenance Issue Number Four
Issue number four of Provenance: The Journal of Public Record Office Victoria was published online at the end of September 2005 and is now available to view.

The issue includes three scholarly articles drawing on different aspects of the diverse PROV collection.

Louise Blake writes about the campaign to save the Regent Theatre that culminated in the 1970s with the passage of the Historic Buildings Act in 1974 under Sir Rupert Hamer’s government.

Jill Barnard explores the development of Victoria's Catholic orphanages in the nineteenth century within the context of the child welfare policy of the colonial government.

Fred Cahir challenges commonly-held assumptions about the capacity of Indigenous people in post-settlement Victoria to engage in trade and monetary transactions by examining their trade in possum-skin cloaks.

Current and past issues of PROvenance can be viewed at: http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/provenance/

2. Koorie Records Unit
Research Pathway-Koorie People and Places
As part of the new online catalogue, PROV has launched 'Research Pathways' a new tool which comprehensively catagorises topics of research. One of these is 'Koorie People and Places' which gives researchers information about finding records about Koorie family history, the history of Aboriginal Victoria and how to contact and use the assistance of PROV's Koorie Records Unit. Two PROVguides giving useful information about Aboriginal Records and Koorie Family History at PROV are also available by visiting the 'Koorie People and Places' Research Pathway. http://www.access.prov.vic.gov.au/public/pathways/pathway3/pathway3.jsp

Finding Your Story
Finding Your Story: A Resource Manual to the Records of the Stolen Generations in Victoria, provides a comprehensive and cohesive resource of government and non-government record and archival collections in Victoria relevant to the Stolen Generations and their families.

The publication is available for purchase for $34.95 (including GST) from PROV Reading Rooms, the Koorie Heritage Trust Inc. Shop and Information Victoria Bookshop. As well as in printed form, the entire Finding Your Story manual is also available to download from the PROV website. http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/findingyourstory/

3. Exhibitions
Forgotten Faces: Chinese and the Law opens in Bendigo
Forgotten Faces: Chinese and the Law closed at the VAC on 27 August and travelled to the Golden Dragon Museum Australia in Bendigo where it will be on display until the end of February 2006.

The Golden Dragon Museum Australia is located at 5-9 Bridge Street, Bendigo and is open 9.30am to 5.00pm every day except Christmas Day.

Forgotten Faces: Chinese and the Law with educational resources for students studying SOSE, History, Photography and Legal Studies are also available from the PROV website. http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/forgottenfaces/

It's A Dog's Life! Animals in the Public Service
It's a Dog's Life! is the new interactive exhibition at the VAC, on display until 21 October. Supported by Visions Australia, this National Archives of Australia (NAA) traveling exhibition features the diverse range of work that animals have undertaken for the Australian government over the past one hundred years. Dogs, horses, donkeys, camels, bullocks, cats, pigeons, beetles and even worms have all been employed to perform vital official duties.

The exhibition is perfect for children and people of all ages to see, learn and discover the amazing work performed by animals for our nation.

Visit the NAA website for further information on this wonderful exhibition. http://www.naa.gov.au/exhibitions/dogs_life/dogs_life.html

People and Parliament - PROV's upcoming exhibition
From December, the next major exhibition to be held at VAC will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the establishment of responsible government in Victoria.

People and Parliament: Landmark Decisions 1855-2006 will encompass the founding and evolution of responsible government in this state, from the drafting of the constitution in 1854, to the most current constitutional reforms. The exhibition will focus on ‘the land’ as a uniting theme in the development of the state's political and cultural history and explore the shift in emphasis from settlement and use of land to conservation and joint custodianship with indigenous communities. The changes wrought on the landscape as a result of legislation and the experiences of communities, families and individual Victorians as they responded to and made demands on government in relation to land, illustrate the consequences of responsible government in action.

People and Parliament will feature key "founding documents" of Victoria's democracy and other important original records from PROV's collection. Education resources for Primary and Secondary students studying in Legal Studies, SOSE and History will be available from the PROV website.

Exhibitions at the VAC can be viewed Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and 9am to 4.30pm on Saturdays that the Reading Room is open.

4. What's New
Uhl Index to Criminal Trial Briefs Available Electronically at PROV
Over thirty years ago, researcher Jean Uhl created a complex card index to VPRS 30 Criminal Trial Briefs, for the period 1841-1873. Beginning in 2003 and extending over a two-year period, data-entry of this index with over 22,000 entries was recently completed and the resulting index is now available in electronic format at PROV.

The original 'Uhl Index' comprised thirteen parts, all of which have been transcribed into the new electronic version. It means that while entries are searchable by the names of the accused, additional keyword searches are also possible, covering lists of third parties, police, soldiers and locations.

This electronic index is currently only available at the Enquiries Desks of the VAC and BAC reading rooms.

This extensive data entry and quality checking exercise has been a joint effort of PROV Reference Officers Pam Sheers and Charlie Spiteri, with additional support from Lauren Bourke and Michael Lemieszek.

New Series Available on the PROV Online Catalogue.
Victorian Public Record Series (VPRS) are occasionally reprocessed as research by PROV archivists uncovers more about the records and their context. The lists appearing below may include some reprocessed series, as well as new accessions and transfers of additional consignments to existing series. The lists may also include records that are closed (in part or whole) to general public access in PROV reading rooms. If a record has been closed under section 9 or section 10 of the Public Records Act, you may need to apply for access under Freedom of Information. To do this, you will need to know which government department is responsible for the particular records and staff in our reading rooms can provide assistance with this.

In some instances you can also apply for Special Access to some closed records by writing to the Keeper of Public Records for permission. PROVguide 14 has information on how to go about this.

VA 3690 City of Greater Dandenong
VPRS 5919/P1 Rate Books 1913-1955, 80 units (Open)
VPRS 15354/P1 Rate Books 1955-1957, 6 units (Open)
VPRS 14708/P1 Council Minutes 1862-1955, 27 units (Open)
VPRS 14709/P1 Committee Minutes 1922-1957, 5 units (Open)
VPRS 14710/P1 Committee Minutes 1955-1994, 20 units (Open)
VPRS 14711/P1 Council Minutes 1956-1994, 46 units (Open)
VPRS 14712/P1 Notices of Motion 1855-1986, 5 units (Open)
VPRS 14713/P1 Committee Minutes 1955-1981, 10 units (Open)
VPRS 14713/P2 Committee Minutes 1965-1972, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 14714/P1 Council Minutes 1956-1994, 228 units (Open)
VPRS 14715/P1 Committee Minutes 1996-1999, 12 units (Open)
VPRS 14716/P1 Council Minutes 1994-1999, 86 units (Open)
VPRS 14728/P1 Reports 1948-1955, 7 units (Open)
VPRS 14729/P1 Reports 1955-1994, 113 units (Open)
VPRS 14730/P1 Reports1954-1983, 40 units (Open)
VPRS 14731/P1 Index to Council Minutes1911-1956, 9 units (Open)
VPRS 14732/P1 Index to Council Minutes 1955-1991, 9 units (Open)
VPRS 14733/P1 Index to Committee Minutes, Dandenong Valley Regional Library Service 1970-1983, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 14734/P1 Index to Council Minutes 1956-1984, 10 units (Open)
VPRS 14779/T1 Water Rate Books 1893-1947, 20 units (Open)
VPRS 14953/P1 Outward Letter Book 1891-1912, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 14954/P1 Outward Letter Book 1890-1901, 2 units (Open)
VPRS 14955/P1 Outward Letter Book 1875-1943, 25 units (Open)
VPRS 15173/P1 Committee Minutes, Dandenong Valley Regional Library Service 1970-1991, 9 units (Open)
VPRS 15174/P1 Notices of Motion, Dandenong Valley Regional Library Service 1973-1985, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15175/P1 Notices of Motion 1965-1994, 4 units (Open)

VA 565 Warrnambool Courts
VPRS 1537/P1 County Court Register 1858-1988, 11 units (Open)
VPRS 15141/P1 Court of General Sessions / County Court Register 1964-1974, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15170/P1 County Court Special Summons Register 1979-1984, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15176/P1 Supreme Court Civil Action / Cause Book 1953-1988, 5 units (Open)
VPRS 15145/P1 Supreme Court Civil Case Files 1953-1989, 70 units (Open)
VPRS 15177/P1 Supreme Court Execution Book 1969-1987, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 12779/P2 Court of Petty Sessions / Magistrates’ Court Register 1909-1993, 80 units (Open)
VPRS 10609/P1 Court of Petty Sessions / Magistrates’ Court Special Complaints Register 1956-1992, 13 units (Open)
VPRS 15084/P1 Magistrates’ Court Civil Complaint Register 1991-1993, 8 units (Open)
VPRS 15101/P1 Court of Petty Sessions Index to Convictions & Maintenance Orders Filed at Warrnambool 1885-1966, 2 units (Open)
VPRS 1543/P1 Court of Petty Sessions Index to Convictions 1953-1969, 2 units (Open)
VPRS 10610/P2 Court of Petty Sessions / Magistrates’ Court Commonwealth Register 1954-1988, 7 units (Open)
VPRS 15172/P1 Court of Petty Sessions / Magistrates’ Court Police / Arrest Register 1971-1987, 24 units (Open)
VPRS 10624/P1 Insolvency Court Register 1872-1909, 1 unit (Open)

VA 4308 Koroit Courts
VPRS 15078/P1 Court of Petty Sessions Index to Convictions Book 1940-1966, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 14683/P2 Magistrates’ Court Register 1970-1977, 1 unit (Open)

VA 564 Port Fairy Courts
VPRS 1529/P1 Court of Petty Sessions Index to Convictions Book 1934-1968, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 10615/P1 Magistrates’ Court Special Complaints Register 1972-1980, 1 units (Open)
VPRS 10616/P1 Magistrates’ Court Register 1986-1988 and Commonwealth Register 1976-1988, 2 units (Open)
VPRS 14685/P2 Magistrates’ Court Register 1971-1986, 5 units (Open)

VA 3710 Mornington Peninsula Shire
VPRS 13656/P2 Committee Minutes 1983-1986, 10 units (Open)
VPRS 15500/P1 Council Minutes 1868-1994, 272 units (Open)
VPRS 15500/P2 Council Minutes 1979-1984, 3 units (Open)

VA 2474 Mornington II Shire
VPRS 15499/P1 Council Minutes 1904-1993, 273 units (Open)

VA 4554 Department of Sustainability and Environment
VPRS 13376/P1 Register of Applications Castlemaine, Other Sections Land Acts 1884, 1890, 1891, 1898 and 1901 (Castlemaine District Survey Office) 1888-?1924, 3 units (Open)
VPRS 13376/P2 Register of Applications Castlemaine, Other Sections Land Acts 1884, 1890, 1891, 1898 and 1901 (Castlemaine District Survey Office) 1884-?1911, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 13733 P3 Register of Deeds, Ballarat 1858-1868, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 447/P1 Journal, District Surveyor Bairnsdale 1875-1880, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 99/P Inwards Correspondence 1849-1850, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 99/P1 Inwards Correspondence 1848-1850, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 77/P Return of Livestock and Stations 1844-1862, 3 units (Open)
VPRS 10542/P2 Rent Rolls, Unused Roads and Water Frontages 1921-1929, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 1003/P2 Correspondence Files, Land Sales Branch 1890-1908, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 1003/P3 Correspondence Files, Land Sales Branch ?1888-1915, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 1016/P1 Miscellaneous Correspondence Files 1853-1933, 6 units (Open)
VPRS 15015/P1 File Management Cards, 'HO' Series 1943-1978, 11 units (Open)
VPRS 15016/P1 File Management Cards, 'J' Series ?1913-1978, 15 units (Open)
VPRS 15017/P1 File Management Cards, 'W' Series 1954-1978, 17 units (Open)
VPRS 15025/P1 Rent Roll, Bairnsdale, Section 5 Wattles Act 1890 1892-1914, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15045/P1 Index to Correspondence, Ballarat District Survey Office 1871-1871, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 799/P Schedules of Lands for Sale by Public Auction 1862-1875, 4 units (Open)
VPRS 1003/P1 Correspondence Files, Land Sales Branch 1885-1911, 2 units (Open)
VPRS 15012/P1 File Management Cards, Mallee Division ?1943-1978, 10 units (Open)
VPRS 15013/P1 File Management Cards, Miscellaneous Metropolitan Division ?1911-?1980, 2 units (Open)
VPRS 15014/P1 File Management Cards, 'G' Series 1967-1978, 4 units (Open)
VPRS 856/P Schedules of Approved Lease, License and Grant Applications, Various Sections Land Act 1869 1878-1878, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 857/P Schedules of Approved License Applications, Section 19 Land Act 1870 1875-1878, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 860/P Schedules of Approved and Unapproved Applications, Section 49 Land Act 1870 1874-1878, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 861/P Schedules of Unapproved License Applications, Sections 19 and 49 Land Act 1869 (no further information given)
VPRS 862/P Schedule of Grazing Permits Granted, Regulations Land Act 1869 1875-1878, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 1316/P Index to Leases, Sections 23 and 24, 33 and 34 and 37 Land Act 1862 1862-1865, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15033/P1 Register of Leases, Hamilton, Section 19 Land Act 1869 and Section 42 Land Act 1884 (Hamilton District Survey Office) 1873-1894, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15034/P1 File Management Book, Bendigo and Seymour Land Districts 1909-1911, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15036/P1 Register of Applications, Section 53 Land Act 1862, Horsham District 1864-1866, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15037/P1 Register of Licensees, Echuca, Section 47 Land Act 1869 (Echuca District Survey Office) 1875-1885, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15028/P1 Journal, District Surveyor Omeo 1878-1879, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15029/P1 Journal, District Surveyor Sale 1876 1880, 2 units (Open)
VPRS 15030/P1 Journal, District Surveyor St Arnaud 1877-1880, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 3664/P Register of Residence Areas, Sandhurst District, Waranga North Division 1876-1885, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 3669/P Register of Residence Areas, Maryborough District, Wedderburn Division 1881-1935, 3 units (Open)
VPRS 10654/P Register of Residence Areas, Dunolly 1913-1914, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 2203/P Register of Residence Areas, Beechworth District 1927-1935, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 1637/P Register of Residence Areas, Maryborough District, Maryborough Division 1882-1935, 10 units (Open)
VPRS 150/P Register of Residence Areas, Jamieson 1933-1935, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 400/P Index to Register of Residence Areas, Castlemaine District, Fryerstown Division 1901-1922, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 401/P Register of Residence Areas, Castlemaine District, Fryerstown Division 1982-1935, 5 units (Open)
VPRS 92/P Land and Immigration Receipts 1849-1851, 2 units (Part Open)
VPRS 66/P Register of Timber Licences including Cedar 1849-1850, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 1264/P Return of Residence and Cultivation Licences 1862-1862, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 1262/P Returns of Selections, Land Act 1862, 1862-1862, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 77/P Return of Livestock and Stations 1844-1862, 3 units (Open)
VPRS 6910/P1 Inwards Correspondence, Geodetic Survey 1859-1872, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 6164/P Orders for Surveys, Ballarat 1838-1866, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 14486/P2 Schedule of Cases, Land (Crown Leases Adjustment) Act 1937-1941, 3 units (Open)
VPRS 14485/P2 Schedules of the Revaluation and Adjustment of Settlers Liabilities, Section 32 Closer Settlement Act 1933, 1937-1938, 14 units (Open)
VPRS 15314/P1 Record and Computation Books 1859-1956, 19 units (Open)
VPRS 15315/P1 Field Books of the Old Geodetic Triangulation Survey 1859-1876, 10 units (Open)
VPRS 15044/P1 Register of Inward Referred Correspondence, Surveyor-General, Central Division 1904-1931, 6 units (Open)
VPRS 1827/P Registers of Inward Referred Correspondence 1905-1914, 4 units (Open)
VPRS 1827/P Registers of Inward Referred Correspondence 1920-1921, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 1827/P Registers of Inward Referred Correspondence 1905-1914, (Open)
VPRS 1827/P1 Registers of Inward Referred Correspondence 1920-1921, (Open)
VPRS 15023/P1 Advances Cards 1929-?1958, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15019/P1 Register of 'Z' Series Files 1932-1955, 2 units (Open)
VPRS 15018/P1 Register of Inward Correspondence, 'Z' Series 1911-1954, 3 units (Open)
VPRS 15020/P1 Register of Inward Correspondence, 'K' Series 1938-1964, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15032/P1 Correspondence Journal, Surveyor-General 1876-1920, 32 units (Open)
VPRS 15031/P1 Salaries Registers 1857-1933, 15 units (Open)
VPRS 15183/P1 Register of Salaries 1922-1926, 1 unit (Open)
VPRS 15361/P1 Register of Applications, Castlemaine, Part II Land Act 1869 1870-1874, 1 unit (Open)

VA 471 Legislative Council
Requests for access to these consignments need to be referred to the Clerk of the
Legislative Council for determination in each case.

VPRS 2599/P6 Original Papers Laid on the Table 1992-1992, 3 units (Restricted)
VPRS 2599/P7 Original Papers Laid on the Table 1996-1997, 48 units (Restricted)
VPRS 2599/P8 Original Papers Laid on the Table 1998-1999, 29 units (Restricted)

VA 511 Melbourne
VPRS 11200/P7 Building Application Plans 1946-1958, 2177 units (Open)
VPRS 11200/P8 Building Application Plans 1946-1958, 196 units (Open)

5. Suggestion Box at VAC
Do you have a bright idea? Put it in the Suggestion Box!
We do listen to your suggestions. Thanks to the ideas of our users, the VAC foyer now has a telephone, a water cooler and an umbrella stand. Some frequently requested books have also been returned to the Reading Room shelves.

To make a suggestion, all you need to do is fill out one of the forms available outside the Reading Room door and drop it in the clearly marked blue suggestion box. PROV's responses to your feedback are published periodically on the nearby noticeboard.

6. Seminars 2005
Archival Support Program (ASP), February - November 2005
There are limited places available for participants to attend the final ASP of the year 'Computers and Small Archives' on Saturday 26 November at the Victorian Archives Centre.

The cost to attend is $16.50 (incl. morning tea, lunch and GST). For further information, click here or contact Laura Daniele, Public Programs Officer on phone (03) 9348 5757.

Seminar Series
The PROV Seminar Series Program has upcoming sessions covering education records, immigration records and researching at the Ballarat Archives Centre. Download the brochure for information on the Seminar Series program or phone (03) 9348 5600 for further details.

7. Saturday Openings, October – December 2005
The Victorian Archives Centre Reading Room is open on the second and last Saturday of most months, excepting long weekends. Saturday openings for the rest of 2005 are; 8 October, 29 October, 12 November, 26 November and 10 December.

8. Tours of the VAC
Tours of the VAC exhibition space, reading room and repository continue to be very popular. They are held on the last Friday of every month and on open Saturdays. Tour dates can be found on our calendar page: http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/events/patrn.asp#vac Reservations are essential and can be made by phoning reception on (03) 9348 5600.

Group tours outside of these times may also be arranged by phoning reception on (03) 9348 5600.

9. PROV Calendar October - November 2005
Visit our public events calendar page for speaking engagements and other dates.

10. Feedback
We welcome your feedback and suggestions on the content of this newsletter via email. ask.prov@dvc.vic.gov.au If you know someone who would be interested in receiving rEsearch, they can subscribe by emailing a request to <ask.prov@dvc.vic.gov.au>.

11. About this publication
We have included you on our mailing list because you already receive news publications from PROV, or because you have indicated interest in receiving email information. However, if you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please email us ask.prov@dvc.vic.gov.au or phone PROV Reception (03) 9348 5600 and we will remove you from the list.

ISSN 1449-0331
Copyright © 2005 Public Record Office Victoria

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