Victorian Genealogy
Finding People and Places in Victoria, Australia.
Convicts were people who were convicted of crime in Britain, Ireland or other places in the British Empire and transported to Australia. For Convict Records see Convicts.
Also see Orphanages, Industrial Schools and Reformatories.
Also see Criminals.
Also see Police.
Also see Courts.
The following is a list of historical prisons, gaols and stockades in Victoria:
In addition to the above, ships known as hulks which had had their masts removed, were used as floating prisons. They were anchored off Williamstown on Hobson's Bay. The ships included the President (1852), Deborah (1853), Success (1853), Sacramento (1853) and Lysander (1854). In 1885 the use of the hulks ceased.
Female prisoners were held at Pentridge Prison until 1956 or the Old Melbourne Gaol.
Public Record Office Victoria has many prison records, particularly those which have closed. Prisoner records may be closed under Section 9 of the Public Records Act and they will not be released for 75 years after the creation of the records. An application under Freedom of Information may be made.
For prisoners who had committed capital offences and received mandatory death sentences also see Prisoner Death Records.
FAMILYSEARCH - LISTS OF ROYAL MARINES ETC
This has a list of prisoners of the Crown in Victoria from 1844 to 1845 which has been digitised and it is searchable through the International Genealogical Index.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/407934?availability=Family%20History%20Library
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - REGISTER OF PRISONERS UNDER SENTENCE OF HARD LABOUR 1847-1853 (VPRS 519)
These have been digitized and are indexed through the catalogue.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS519
FINDMYPAST - VICTORIA REGISTER OF PRISONERS UNDER SENTENCE OF HARD LABOUR 1847-1853
These records are from Public Record Office Victoria (VPRS 519). They are searchable.
ANCESTRY - VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, DESERTER, DISCHARGED, AND PRISONER CREW LISTS, 1852-1925
This includes prisoners on the Hulks 1853-1856 and 1869-1885. Prisoner lists are located under "Seamen Prisoners" lists.
The records are searchable and they may be browsed.
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=60709
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - CENTRAL REGISTER OF MALE AND FEMALE PRISONERS 1855-1948 (VPRS 515, 516)
This includes prisoners held at some Melbourne area prisons (Collingwood, Carlton and Williamstown stockades, Eastern Gaol, the Hulks and Pentridge) as well as regional prisons for female prisoners only. These records have been digitised and have been indexed through the catalogue.
FINDMYPAST - VICTORIA PRISON REGISTERS 1855-1960
The Victoria Prison Registers 1855-1960 were compiled from both the Central Register of Male Prisoners and the Central Register of Female Prisoners, held by the Public Record Office Victoria. These were registers kept of prisoners that passed through Pentridge prison in Coburg, Victoria.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/victoria-prison-registers
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO CENTRAL REGISTER OF FEMALE PRISONERS 1857-1948 (VPRS 10879)
The index has been digitised and mainly relates to prisoners held in Pentridge Prison.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS10879
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO CENTRAL REGISTER OF MALE PRISONERS 1868-1947 (VPRS 10867)
The index has been digitised and mainly relates to prisoners held in Pentridge Prison.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS10867
Capital punishment was abolished in Victoria in 1975; the last person hanged in Victoria was in 1967.
If a prisoner has died in prison it will be noted in their prison record. See Prisoner Records.
Inquests were mandatory if a person died in a government institution such as a prison. There is a lack of detail on death certificates which were filled out by officials; this can make it hard to identify individuals particularly those with common names. For inquest records of people dying in prisons see Inquests and Coronial Inquiries.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - CAPITAL CASE FILES 1852-1975 (VPRS 264)
These files relate to prisoners who had committed capital offences and received mandatory death sentences (although some offenders, notably those under 21 years of age were sentenced to the Governor's pleasure). They are indexed through the catalogue.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - CAPITAL SENTENCE FILES 1889-1975 (VPRS 1100)
These files relate to prisoners who had committed capital offences and received mandatory death sentences (although some offenders, notably those under 21 years of age were sentenced to the Governor's pleasure). They are indexed through the catalogue.
GOVERNMENT GAZETTES - EXECUTIONS
Executions were notified in government gazettes. See Government Gazettes.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - BURIAL REGISTERS
Public Record Office Victoria holds the burial register for the following cemetery which is not online:
This is a finding aid for burial records.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/cemeteries/burial-records
For people employed in the penal system see Public Servants.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE TO THE HULK SUPERINTENDENTS, LETTER AND MEMORANDA BOOK 1853-1857 (VPRS 680)
One letter book has been digitized; this is for the Hulk "Success" from 1853 to 1857.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS680
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - RICHMOND COURTS, WATCHHOUSE CHARGE BOOK 1881-1884 (VPRS 1871)
This has been digitised.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS6921
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - CASTLEMAINE PRISON GOVERNOR'S DIARY 1898-1900 (VPRS 5349)
This is not online.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS5349
ANCESTRY - VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, SELECTED TRIAL BRIEF AND CORRESPONDENCE REGISTERS AND OTHER IMAGES, 1837-1993
These are provided by Public Record Office Victoria. These records are not indexed but can be browsed by description and range. They include:
Castlemaine Prison Police Magistrate's Register includes
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=60672
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS
This includes the following index to name entries:
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GEELONG AND DISTRICT WEBSITE - GEELONG GAOL ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS 1851-1868 (VPRS 8064)
These have been indexed into the Geelong and District Database.
http://zades.com.au/gandd/index.php/databases/potpourri/ppindexes
See Buildings.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - GOVERNMENT BUILDING PHOTOGRAPHS 1926-1965 (VPRS 10516)
This series includes photographs created by the Department of Public Works between 1926 and 1965. The photographs include state primary schools, state secondary schools, state colleges, public hospitals, courthouses, police stations, prisons and bridges. Also included are Victorian public buildings and some interstate public buildings. This is a finding aid for government buildings.
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