Early Queensland : An Overview
Early coastal settlement in Queensland began around Moreton Bay and the Queensland Early Pioneers Index 1824-1859 (previously published as the Pre-Separation Population Index of Moreton Bay) was compiled by a QFHS member from primary sources containing references to settlers living in the region before separation from NSW in late 1859. Stats: 156,760 references from 75 sources located
in Brisbane and covering both the convict (1824-1841) and free settlement (1842-1859) periods. Below is a summary of the source documents used for this resource. Convict records: Chronological Register of convicts, Captain Patrick Logan's Letterbook, Peter Spicer's Diary, Book of Trials, Convict Death Registers, Queale's convict information, Moreton Bay Hospital records, Colonial
Secretary's Letters. Free settlement records: Administration (Colonial Secretary's Letters, Simpson's Letterbook, Government Residents’ Letters and papers), Immigration (Passenger arrivals at Brisbane, Coastal shipping arrivals, Fortitude shipping list, QFHS Pre-Separation Group records), Law (Brisbane Gaol records, Circuit Court - Toowoomba papers, Native Police records,
Publicans etc Licences, CPS Brisbane, Gayndah and Ipswich, Small Debts Court Brisbane, Supreme Court letters), Land (Commissioner for Crown Lands records, Crown Lands Office records, Survey Department records, Title deeds - Titles Office, Receipts for deposits on land, Stock mortgages), Newspapers (Maitland Mercury, Moreton Bay Courier, Sydney Morning Herald). Personal (Queensland
Registrar-General BDM indexes, RC baptismal registers, QFHS Pre-Separation Group records), Welfare (Moreton Bay Hospital records).
The above form the core of early Queensland resources and the following are important supplements:
The biographies of 50 pioneering families who resided in Queensland before separation from the Colony of New South Wales in 1859
An index to office keepers listed in Joan Frew's book - Queensland Post Offices 1842-1980 and Receiving Offices 1869-1927. This book lists a wide ranging selection of early office keepers and their occupations — chosen to illustrate the range of people running the offices. Many had other occupations so you may be surprised to find your ancestor as a postmaster! Stats: >7,000
references. The index lists the postmasters/mistresses and the offices at which they served. Additional information given in the book includes the year they commenced, other occupations (in many cases) and occasionally the location of their property. In addition to Queensland offices, those of some towns around border areas of NSW and SA are also mentioned
A Guide to the Pioneers Index 1824-1859
Land records: a supplement to the Pioneers Index 1824-1859 that includes remaining unindexed records to titles from 1856 to 1859 — some 3052 additional names. Records comprise certain series of Title Deeds held by the Lands Transaction Office (forerunner to the Titles Office) Brisbane and consist of Town and Land purchases. The index includes surname and forenames, date of purchase, parish
name where land was purchased, land description ie allotment, portion and reference to the DNR titles database. Copies of deeds can be purchased by quoting this reference. From the Deed, you can obtain the county, parish, area of land purchased, purchaser’s place of residence, amount paid and a full land description
Supreme Court records: after 1857 Brisbane’s own Supreme Court was established, separate from NSW. The indexed records provide Public Curator’s Insolvency files and Crown Prosecutor’s In-letters covering bankruptcy/insolvency, civil and criminal proceedings, naturalisations and probates. Includes name, title, occupation, nationality, age (where known), date, notes on the person’s
involvement, code and reference to the relevant record. The source documents may contain other information such as place of residence and family information.
Miscellaneous records 1855-1859: Brisbane Gaol Register of prisoners admitted and discharged, Department of Justice Calendar of Criminals brought to trial at Brisbane, Prisons Department Letterbooks of the Sheriff, Police Court Brisbane Deposition and Minute book, CPS Nanango Bench book, CPS Taroom Deposition and Minute book, and Monthly Statement of Monies Received, Clerk of Petty
Sessions (CPS) Gladstone Plaint and Summons book, Circuit Court Toowoomba Depositions, PO Drayton Letterbooks, Survey Office Letters Received and Inward Letters, Treasury Department Register of Miscellaneous Accounts. Includes name, title, nationality, age (where known, date, place, occupation, notes on the involvement of the person, religion, code and reference to the relevant record. The
original records may contain additional information.
Abbreviations
Unless otherwise stated, these resources are Queensland in content. Abbreviations have the meanings as shown: '+' postage extra; AUD$ Australian currency, CD CD-ROM, Edn edition, FA post free Australia-wide, GST goods & services tax (Australia), M microfiche, MIs monumental inscriptions, NA not available/applicable, P
print (books, hard copy), '.pdf' portable document format, P&P postage & packing, Pub published (yyyy), R microfilm reel/s, TBA to be announced/advised.
Thank you for supporting QFHS with your order. Please allow up to 4 weeks for delivery |
