getting started | BDM indexes | census | convicts | ships/migration | wills etc | parish records | electoral rolls | schools | military | newspapers | maps | special records scheme |
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What's in the library and resource centre?

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QFHS maintains a comprehensive library of reference material, not only for Queensland but also other Australian States and several overseas countries. For example, resources include the following -

• a substantial collection of reference books on subjects ranging from heraldry and history to vital records and research guides

• an excellent range of Australian and overseas genealogical publications and journals that will keep you updated in all matters of genealogy and family history

• an endless number of card, microfilm, microfiche and computerised indexes

• an ever increasing collection of CD-ROMs

• numerous pedigree charts submitted by members over the life time of the society

• a variety of atlases, gazetteers and maps, including a complete set of 19th century Ordnance Survey Maps of England, Scotland and Wales

• a countless range of cemetery records, and

• a myriad other documents.

If you have European genealogical interests, our "Guide to the Continental European Resources in the Queensland Family History Society Library and Resource Centre" is a very good buy. The second edition (January 2002), compiled by QFHS members Rosemary Kopittke, Jackie Buttress and Eric Kopittke, will lead you through our holdings which include books (library catalogue references provided) and microforms.

Getting started

Choose from the many microform resources listed below to track down that elusive ancestor. If using these resources searchers are well advised to purchase the family historian's companion titled "Guide to the Microform Collection in the Queensland Family History Society Library and Resource Centre" [compiled by QFHS members, R. Kopittke, D. Robertson & J. Buttress]. Users will find this publication very helpful as it provides comprehensive details of specific events, places and range of years covered by each resource. It also states whether records are available on film, fiche or CD etc.

Categories	Locations   (Chapman code abbreviations)
Archive Office records (excl convict records)	NSW
Battye Library indexes	WA
Birth, Death & Marriage records Civil Parish Other, including newspaper BDM indexes	Worldwide AUS, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA ENG, BDF, BRK, BKM, CHS, DBY, DEV, DOR, DUR, ESS, GLS, HAM/IOW, HEF, KEN, LAN, LEI, LIN, LND/MDX, NTH, NBL, NTT, OXF, RUT, SAL, SFK, SOM, SRY, STS, WAR, WOR, YKS WLS, BRE, GLA SCT, ABD, ARL, AYR, BAN, BEW, BUT, CAI, CLK, DFS, DNB, ELG, FIF, FOR, HAD, INV, KCD, KKD, KRS, LKS, LLG, MLN, NAI, OKI, PEE, PER, RFW, ROC, ROX, SEL, SHI, STI, SUT, WIG DON (IRL) NZ USA
Cemetery records Monumental inscriptions, burial and undertakers records	NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA BHS (Bahamas) ALB, ONT (CAN) CHS, DBY, DUR, GLS, HRT, KEN, LAN, LND/MDX, NBL, NTT, SRY, SSX, STS (ENG) GLA (WLS) DOW (IRL) JAM (Jamaica) NZ
Census records	NSW, NT, SA ONT CHI, GSY, JEY ENG, Avon, BDF, BRK, BKM, CAM, CHS, CON, CUL, DBY, DEV, DOR, DUR, ESS, GLS, HAM/IOW, HEF, HRT, HUN, KEN, LAN, LEI, LIN, LND/MDX, NFK, NTH, NBL, NTT, OXF, RUT, SAL, SFK, SOM, SRY, SSX, STS, WAR, WES, WIL, WOR, YKS WLS, AGY, BRE, CAE, CGN, CMN, DEN, FLN, GLA, MER, MON, MGY, PEM, RAD IRL, CAV, FER, LDY, TYR SCT, ABD, ARL, AYR, BAN, BEW, BUT, CAI, CLK, DFS, DNB, ELG, FIF, FOR, HAD, INV, KCD, KKD, KRS, LKS, LLG, MLN, NAI, OKI, PEE, PER, RFW, ROC, ROX, SEL, SHI, STI, SUT, WIG IOM USA
Convict records	AUS, NSW, NT, TAS, VIC, WA HRT IRL
Court records Divorces, insolvencies, intestacies, naturalisations, wills and probate records	NSW, QLD, VIC ENG, HAM/IOW, KEN, SSX IRL NZ
Directories Almanacs, Post Office and commercial Genealogical (members' interests etc) Geographical (Atlases, gazetteers) Occupational Telephone	Worldwide AUS, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA ENG, Avon, BDF, BRK, BKM, CAM, CHS, CON, CUL, DBY, DEV, DOR, DUR, ESS, GLS, HAM/IOW, HEF, HRT, HUN, KEN, LAN, LEI, LIN, LND/MDX, NFK, NTH, NBL, NTT, OXF, RUT, SAL, SFK, SOM, SRY, SSX, STS, WAR, WES, WIL, WOR, YKS WLS, CAE, DEN, MON SCT, ABD, ARL, AYR, BAN, BEW, BUT, CAI, CLK, DFS, DNB, ELG, FIF, FOR, HAD, INV, KCD, KKD, KRS, LKS, LLG, MLN, NAI, OKI, PEE, PER, RFW, ROC, ROX, SEL, SHI, STI, SUT, WIG IRL, ANT, ARM, CAV, CLA, COR, DON, DOW, DUB, FER, GAL, KER, KID, LET, LIM, LDY, LOU, MAY, MEA, MOG, ROS, SLI, TIP, TYR, WAT, WIC IOM EUR GER NZ CH (Switzerland) USA
Electoral rolls	NSW, QLD, VIC GLS (ENG) DUB (IRL) NZ
Family History Library catalogue	Worldwide
Family histories	AUS ENG, KEN, LAN SCT USA
Family Registry index	Worldwide
International Genealogical index TM (IGI)	Worldwide
Land records	NSW, NT, QLD, VIC BDF, BRK, BKM, CAM, DEV, DOR, HRT, KEN, LAN, LIN, NTH, NTT, SFK, SOM, WAR, WIL, WOR, YKS SCT IRL IOM PNG NZ
Migration	AUS, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA DEN ENG GER IRL NZ USA
Military	AUS, WA ENG IRL NZ
Miscellaneous	Worldwide AUS, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC CAN, ALB ENG, BKM, DUR, ESS, KEN, LAN, LIN, LND/MDX, NTH, NBL, SRY, WAR, YKS WLS SCT, AYR, LKS IRL, CAR, COR, FER, KER, KIK, LEX, LIM, LOU, MAY, MEA, OFF, TIP, WAT, WEX PNG NZ USA
Newspapers (excl other categories)	NSW, NT, QLD, SA, VIC NBL WIG PNG USA
Parish and Vital Records list	Worldwide
School records	NSW, QLD, VIC NZ
Ships & shipping (excl migration) Other suggested links NAA QSA	NSW, NT, QLD, SA, VIC ENG NZ NOTE : Enquiries are welcome but please note that our ships/shipping records are limited and, as a service to genealogists and family historians, we will offer you advice on other repositories where records can be accessed. (See other suggested links).
Strays	Worldwide Australasia ENG, SRY, GLA

Have you considered these sources?

Family history is made possible because we all have surnames and all family historians, be they professional genealogists or people exploring their own family tree, have to start their search somewhere. To start tracing your family tree, you should begin with the more recent events, which are to be found in family records such as births, deaths and marriages, and follow them back through the generations.

• Indexes to Birth, death and marriage records
  Generally speaking, certificates give you details of when and where these events occurred. Birth certificates will also give you parents' names, mothers' maiden name and occupation of the father; marriage certificates will give you the occupation, address and age of the couple; death certificates will give you the cause of death, and age of the deceased.

• The International Genealogical Index™ (IGI) – 1538-1875 is a very good place to begin. It is an index of births, baptisms and marriages extracted from the Genealogical Society of Utah (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints™) microfilm project. The 1988 and 1992 editions are available on microfiche; the 1993 edition and updates on CD-ROM. The International Genealogical Index™ (IGI) – 1538-1875 is a very good place to begin. It is an index of births, baptisms and marriages extracted from the Genealogical Society of Utah (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints™) microfilm project. The 1988 and 1992 editions are available on microfiche; the 1993 edition and updates on CD-ROM.

• Close to home, the Birth, death and marriage indexes for Queensland, other Australian States and New Zealand are on microfiche while CD-ROM versions are also available except for South Australia and the Northern Territory.

• England and Wales Family Records Centre General Register Office (GRO, formerly St Catherine's House) indexes give birth, death and marriage details for the period 1837-1942 - microfilm and fiche.

• Cemetery records : An extensive coverage of Queensland, other Australian States, New Zealand, England, Scotland and Ireland are available on microfiche and in book form. The George Bond Collection of photos of headstones in Australia are available in albums.

Other useful sources of information will be found by searching some very basic records and the following examples are intended as a guide to approach your searches.

• Census
  A census is an accurate head-count of the population of a country on one particular night. Census information was originally used to study population growth, its effect on the economy and wealth of the nation, and to assess future educational requirements.

1851 Census of England & Wales and less extensive indexes for 1821, 1831, 1841, 1861, 1871 and 1891 available on microfiche and in books. 1851 Census of England & Wales and less extensive indexes for 1821, 1831, 1841, 1861, 1871 and 1891 available on microfiche and in books
1881 British Census & National Index (CDs); Census of England & Wales: Royal Navy, and Miscellaneous. Complete set of published indexes and microfiche
1891 Census Index for Scotland - microfiche
South Australia – 1841 and index, on microfiche
Northern Territory – 1881, 1891, 1901, on microfiche

• Convict records
  If you are Australian there's a good chance that you will have a convict as an ancestor and they are well documented in both Australian and overseas records.

Convicts and Exiles transported from Ireland - fiche
Bound Indents; Death Registers; Convicts absconding and apprehended; Indents; Transported Convicts; Musters and other papers; Conditional pardons; Applications to marry; Registers of Tickets of Leave in NSW etc - fiche
Tasmanian convicts - fiche
Tickets of leave & certificates of Freedom index in VIC - fiche
Convict records of WA, on microfiche

• Ships, Shipping Lists/Migration
  A wealth of information can be obtained from the many records that document the arrival of your ancestor to these shores. 

  NOTE: Enquiries are welcome but please note that our ships/shipping records are limited and, as a service to genealogists and family historians, we will offer you advice on other repositories where records can be accessed. (See other suggested links).

• Wills, Letters of administration, Death duty registers & other Court records. A will is a legal document in which a person specifies how his or her property should be distributed after their death.

National Probate Calendars and Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC) Indexes to England and Wales wills and administrations 1853-1943, on microfiche
Coroners' inquests; Divorces in NSW - microfiche
QLD Insolvencies, Intestacies and Wills - on microfiche
Probate indexes for Victoria, Northern Territory, New South Wales, England and Wales - on microfiche
VIC Police gazettes; Divorces; Prisoners - microfiche

• Parish registers
  Parishes are ecclesiastical districts based around a church. Parish registers - which keep a record of the baptism, marriage and funeral ceremonies taking place at that church - are still kept to this very day.

Scottish Old Parish Registers (OPR) Index for baptisms, banns and burials pre-1855 - on microfiche
Roman Catholic Parish Register Indexes – baptisms, marriages, burials of 24 Queensland churches

• Electoral rolls
  Electoral registers or 'rolls' are lists of people eligible to vote in an election.

The Commonwealth Electoral Rolls for Queensland (1903-1987) - some 5,550 microfiche

• School records
  In 1870, provision was made for the education of children up to the age of 10 years in England and Wales, although attendance did not become compulsory until some ten years later. Similar provisions have existed here in Australia.

Victorian Teachers - on microfiche
Queensland Teachers & School Pupils' Indexes - on microfiche

• Military records
  Army and navy personnel have been around for many centuries. Few army records survive before c1660 but they become progressively more comprehensive over the years. English naval forces were developed during the Middle Ages in order to protect the coasts against enemy attack and to carry troops abroad.

Nominal roll of AIF; Vietnam veterans; 24th Inf Bn - microfiche & disks
Army index & lists for England - microfiche

• Newspapers
  Newspapers, both national and local, can provide valuable information to the family historian.

Index of several NSW, QLD, SA and VIC newspapers from the birth, death, marriages, funeral notices and obituaries columns - on microfiche

• Maps
  Maps can be very helpful in building up a picture of your ancestors if you know the town or country where they lived. They may confirm land ownership, and can bring to life information about property changing hands, perhaps as an inheritance.

Atlases, maps and Gazetteers. A large collection covering England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, old German Empire, Germany, Scandinavia, France, Italy, Baltic States, Benelux countries, Hungary and Poland.
Griffith's Valuation for Ireland – A printed list of land occupiers in Ireland (complied between 1848 and 1864) naming approximately 1 million people - microfiche and index on CD.
New South Wales – Index and guide to landholders, and licensed squatters

Special Records Scheme

If you are aware of a particular resource that you believe would be worthwhile adding to the library's resources, please let us know. It may even be already in the library, or a resource that is awaiting purchase through our Special Records Scheme. The scheme benefits not only you but also all other members. This is the way it works:

• You nominate a resource that has particular relevance to your own research (Click here to download a form for you to complete)

• You donate half the purchase costs

• You can claim your share as a tax deduction

• QFHS pays the balance and places the order

• You have exclusive use of the resource for three months from acquisition date

• After this time the resource is shelved in open access.

Perhaps you would like to contribute something towards our ever-expanding collection? Were you aware that donations of two dollars (AUD$2.00) or above to the Queensland Family History Society Library Fund are tax-deductible under Section 78 of the Income Tax Assessment Act? (Click here to download a record of your donation form.)

Click on this link to go to our simple and convenient Automated Feedback Response form to alert us of a new and interesting publication for family historians. To check our holdings, click here. To search our catalogue, click here.

getting started | BDM indexes | census | convicts | ships/migration | wills etc | parish records | electoral rolls | schools | military | newspapers | maps | special records scheme |
 catalogue search
Last update 19 January, 2007