AGY-1735 | Colonial Storekeeper

Full description

The office of the Colonial Storekeeper was created as a result of various administrative arrangements made by Governor Bourke. (1)

The Colonial Storekeeper was responsible for the provision of stationery, printed forms, clothing and other stores for official use, which were paid for from colonial funds. (2)

For this purpose a store was set up at the dockyard, and the first Colonial Storekeeper was appointed on 1 January 1837. (3)

In 1839 Governor Bourke decided that the service could be handled most effectively by one authority and arranged for the transfer of custody of colonial stores to the Ordnance Storekeeper on 1 January 1839. (4) The Colonial Storekeeper's department was not abolished by this arrangement. (5)

The department was abolished on 30 June 1864 by the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council. (6) At this time the staff of the Colonial Storekeeper consisted of the Colonial Storekeeper (J.B. Cole), the Chief Clerk (Lancelot Iredale Brennand), one clerk, two assistant clerks, one foreman, one assistant foreman, three labourers and one messenger. (7)

Endnotes
(1) Concise Guide to the New South Wales State archives, q.v. 'Colonial Storekeeper', Fiche No.3, p.95.
(2) Loc. cit.
(3) Blue Book 1837.
(4) Concise Guide op. cit.
(5) Loc. cit.
(6) NSW Government Gazette No.122, 14 June 1864, p.1403.
(7) Blue Book, 1864, p.2.