AGY-1919 | Ordnance Storekeeper

Full description

In the 19th Century the Ordnance Office existed as a department of the Imperial Army with branches in the larger British Colonies. Where no Ordnance Office existed the functions were carried out by the Commissariat (1).

In New South Wales there was no Ordnance Office until 1836, until then the Commissary kept a separate account of Ordnance stores received, issued and remaining (2). In a dispatch to the Secretary of State on 5 February 1833, Governor Bourke set out the new arrangements and recommended that a branch of the Ordnance Department be established to care for the convict and military buildings (3).

As a result two divisions of Ordnance were established in New South Wales: a Building Branch headed by the Royal Engineer to have superintendence of all buildings occupied by the military and convicts, and a Storekeeper's Branch presided over by the Ordnance Storekeeper to have charge of military stores and of clothing and stores excluding food required by the convicts (4).

On 1 January 1836 the Royal Engineer and Ordnance Storekeeper commenced duties (5). In 1837 the British Treasury Commissioners concurred with suggestions by Governor Bourke that the Colonial Stores be placed under Ordnance superintendence, and instructions were conveyed to the Ordnance Storekeeper "to afford the co-operation and assistance required by the Colonial Government" in the matter of stores control (6).

This arrangement continued until January 1845. The Colonial Storekeeper's Department again became a separate office due to the expansion of colonial business (7).

The Ordnance Storekeeper's Department was abolished in 1870 when the Imperial forces withdrew from the Colony (8).

Endnotes
1. Concise Guide to the New South Wales State archives, p.56.
2. Op Cit.
3. HRA Series 1, Volume 17, p.26-30.
4. Loc Cit, Concise Guide.
5. Op Cit.
6. Op Cit.
7. Op Cit.
8. Op Cit.