Victorian Genealogy
Finding People and Places in Victoria, Australia.
Also see Governors and Governors-General.
Also see Members of Parliament and Senators.
Also see Electoral Rolls.
A parliamentary paper is a document from the working of the executive government which has been tabled in a parliament. They include:
Parliamentary petitions may be from individuals, occupational groups, residents, church congregations, ratepayers and local councils. Petitions usually include signatures and addresses.
Victoria was a British colony from 1851 to 1901. From 1788 to 1851 it was part of the British colony of New South Wales. In 1901 the colony of Victoria joined the Commonwealth of Australia and became the state of Victoria.
UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENT
LEGISLATION.GOV.UK 1267-PRESENT
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/
United Kingdom Parliamentary Papers 1801-2003/4 are available through Proquest with a State Library of Victoria membership card. They include House of Commons sessional papers which are full page searchable images.
Victoria was part of the colony of New South Wales from 1788 to 1851. There were two failed attempts at settlement; these were in 1803-1804 and 1826-1828. Victoria was the Port Phillip District of the Colony of New South Wales from 1836 to 1851. Representative government began in New South Wales in 1842 and the Port Phillip District sent elected representatives to the Legislative Council in Sydney. In 1851 Victoria separated from New South Wales.
PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Pages/home.aspx
AUSTRALASIAN LEGAL INFORMATION INSTITUTE - NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATION
This includes New South Wales Acts As Made from 1824 to the present.
https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/nsw/#
The First Legislative Council archive contains documents from 1824 to 1855. It includes tabled papers, Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reports of debates, and documents relating to the administration of the First Council (classified as "non-tabled papers"). These have been indexed by document type and date.
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/hansard/pages/first-council.aspx
There is a comprehensive index to all parliamentary documents available online. This page contains links to all New South Wales Hansard, House Papers and Tabled Papers which are available online, including indexes to those records. Reports of debates prior to 1880 are currently unavailable online.
In 1851 Victoria separated from New South Wales and became the colony of Victoria; it had previously been part of the colony of New South Wales from 1788. Victoria was the Port Phillip District of the Colony of New South Wales from 1836 to 1851. The colony of Victoria existed from 1851 until it joined the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. It then became the state of Victoria.
PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/
AUSTRALASIAN LEGAL INFORMATION INSTITUTE - VICTORIAN LEGISLATION
This includes Victorian Historical Acts from 1851 to 1995.
https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/vic/#
PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA - BILLS AND LEGISLATION
https://new.parliament.vic.gov.au/parliamentary-activity/bills-and-legislation/
PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA - HANSARD 1991-PRESENT
These are records of parliamentary debates.
https://new.parliament.vic.gov.au/hansard
PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA - PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS 1851-2013
The Victorian Parliamentary Papers are searchable. While some peoples' names have been indexed and are searchable this does not include every mention.
https://pov.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_GB/parl_paper/
PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA - TABLED DOCUMENTS DATABASE 2012-PRESENT
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/assembly/tabled-documents/search-tabled-documents-database
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS
This includes the following indexes:
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
FAMILY HISTORY CONNECTIONS - VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS INDEX 1852-1899
This is searchable online at the Family History Connections website. For members only.
https://familyhistory.asn.au/layout.php?mod=aigsindexes&i=5
FINDMYPAST - VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS INDEX 1852-1899
The Victorian Parliamentary Papers have been indexed by the Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies (now Family History Connections). The index is searchable.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/victoria-parliamentary-papers-1852-1899
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - PERFORMANCE AND ASSURANCE AUDIT REPORTS TO PARLIAMENT 1983-2017 (VPRS 18552)
This series consists of performance audit reports. A performance audit evaluates whether an organisation or government program is performing economically, efficiently and in compliance with all relevant legislation. These audit reports are the final records of the audit detailing all findings and recommendations. They are tabled in Parliament and are used to highlight any issues of significance to the community and recommend change. These reports have been digitized.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS18552
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - STATE FINANCES AND FINANCIAL AUDIT REPORTS TO PARLIAMENT 1956-2017 (VPRS 18553)
This series consists of financial audit reports to Parliament, either on the financial position of the State of Victoria or of other public sector entities. The records provide assurance that the financial statements of the government present fairly for the year in accordance with relevant financial reporting frameworks and standards. These reports have been digitized.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS18553
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - ORIGINAL PAPERS TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1856-2014 (VPRS 3253)
This series comprises the original documents tabled in the Legislative Assembly. Original papers tabled include reports, petitions, returns, messages, division lists, writs, evidence and estimates. These include annual reports of departments of state or statutory authorities required to submit their reports under the Annual Reporting Act; or the reports of other public bodies required under specific Acts to table their reports. Originals of both published and unpublished papers are included in the series.
Petitions usually include signatures and addresses. Petitions may be from individuals, occupational groups, residents, church congregations, ratepayers and local councils. Petitioners and the subject of the petition may be searchable through the catalogue.
TROVE - THE 1853 BENDIGO GOLDFIELDS PETITION
The petition articulated the gold diggers' grievances and made a number of demands, including a reduced licence fee, improved law and order, the right to vote and the right to buy land. The petition was signed by diggers at Bendigo, Ballarat, Castlemaine, McIvor (Heathcote), Mount Alexander (Stawell) and other diggings. Those from Heathcote were lost in a gold escort robbery.
BENDIGO FAMILY HISTORY GROUP - WHITE HILLS HAMLETS PETITION 1856 (INTERNET ARCHIVE WAYBACK MACHINE)
This petition was signed by the inhabitants of the White Hill Hamlets, Epsom, Huntly and adjacent districts requesting the Governor that their area be proclaimed a separate Municipal District. This snapshot is dated 6 May 2021.
https://web.archive.org/web/20210506150322/https://www.bendigofamilyhistory.org/freeindexsearch.htm
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE PETITION 1891
In an effort to gain the right to vote for all Victorian women, a handful of dedicated women took to the streets in 1891 to collect signatures for a petition to present to the Parliament of Victoria. The result was an impressive collection of close to 30,000 signatures from women from all walks of life. This is searchable.
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/about/the-history-of-parliament/womens-suffrage-petition
A Royal Commission is a formal independent public inquiry instigated by the Commonwealth Government or by a State Government.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - ROYAL COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS OF INQUIRY
They hold many record series created by Victorian Royal Commissions, some joint Royal Commissions (with the Commonwealth and/or other states) and Boards of Inquiry dating from mid nineteenth century to the present. The more recent Royal Commissions are digitised.
The colony of Victoria joined the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 becoming the state of Victoria.
PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALASIAN LEGAL INFORMATION INSTITUTE - COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA LEGISLATION
https://www.austlii.edu.au/databases.html#
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT - FEDERAL REGISTER OF LEGISLATION
https://www.legislation.gov.au/
PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA - HOUSE HANSARD 1901-PRESENT
These are records of parliamentary debates.
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansreps_2011
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS
The following is Fact Sheet 21 from the National Archives of Australia.
https://www.naa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/fs-21-Parliamentary-Papers.pdf
PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA - TABLED PAPERS 1901-PRESENT
Tabled papers include documents and artefacts presented to Parliament in the course of its proceedings.
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Chamber_documents/Tabled_Papers
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - ABORIGINAL PETITIONS
The following is Fact Sheet 268 from the National Archives of Australia.
https://www.naa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/fs-268-aboriginal-petitions.pdf
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - THE 1967 REFERENDUM
The second question in the 1967 Referendum was to determine whether two references in the Australian Constitution, which discriminated against Aboriginal people, should be removed. The following is Fact Sheet 150 from the National Archives of Australia. It relates to the second question.
https://www.naa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/fs-150-the-1967-referendum.pdf
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - CONSCRIPTION REFERENDUMS 1916 AND 1917
The following is Fact Sheet 161 from the National Archives of Australia.
https://www.naa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/fs-161-conscription-referendums-1916-and-1917.pdf
A Royal Commission is a formal independent public inquiry instigated by the Commonwealth Government or by a State Government. Royal Commissions by the Commonwealth Government were enabled by the Royal Commissions Act 1902.
AUSTRALASIAN LEGAL INFORMATION INSTITUTE - AUSTRALIAN ROYAL COMMISSIONS 1902-PRESENT
https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/other/cth/AURoyalC/
AUSTRALASIAN LEGAL INFORMATION INSTITUTE - AUSTRALIAN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OF PUBLIC INQUIRY 1906-PRESENT
https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/other/cth/AUBCPubInq/
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - ROYAL COMMISSION ON TELEVISION, 1953-1954
The following is Fact Sheet 115 from the National Archives of Australia.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - ROYAL COMMISSION ON ESPIONAGE, 1954-1955
The following is Fact Sheet 130 from the National Archives of Australia.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - ROYAL COMMISSION ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, 1974-1977
The following is Fact Sheet 262 from the National Archives of Australia.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - ROYAL COMMISSION INTO ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY, 1987-1991
The following is Fact Sheet 112 from the National Archives of Australia.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY: THE ROYAL COMMISSION AND ITS RECORDS 1987-91 BY PETER NAGLE AND RICHARD SUMMERRELL, REVISED 2002.
This guide is the only comprehensive listing of the huge volume of records created by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
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