NRS-12937 | Registers of baptisms, burials and marriages

Full description

These are registers of baptisms, marriages and burials for various churches throughout New South Wales. Some of these records have been copied on microfilm and these copied records are available for use.
This copying has been done in two main sequences.

a. Registers of Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1787-1856 (SR Reels 5001-5048). 48 microfilm
*ARK
The registers record details of baptisms, burials and marriages. Although referred to as the 'Pre-1856' or 'Old Records', some entries relating to baptisms, burials or marriages up to 1901 are also included.
These registers are arranged primarily by Registry Volume Number, Nos. 1-123. Within this arrangement, the following is a general breakdown:
Vols. 1- 44: Church of England
Vols. 45- 72: Baptisms - All other denominations
Vols. 73-101: Marriages - All other denominations
Vols.102-120: Burials - All other denominations
Vols.121-123: Supplementary Registers - Baptisms, Burials and Marriages, 1827-1901

In addition, the microfilms also contain some other records which do not fall into this numbering sequence. These are:

SR ref 5/4219 Applications for marriage licences, 1836-44
SR ref 5/4221 Church of England Baptisms and Burials, 1850-53
SR ref 5/3841Church of England Baptisms and Burials, 1833-37

These volumes have been included in the set of microfilms for the sake of completeness; all entries located in them also appear in other Registry volumes.

A full description and listing of these records is available in Births, Deaths and Marriages Registers, 1787-1856, formerly Short Guide 4.

Restriction on photocopying

The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages gave approval in accordance with the provisions of Section 14(6) of the Archives Act, 1960, that these records would be made available for public use from 1 February 1984. This approval was subject to the following conditions:

• that persons may access only the microfilm copy of the records contained in Registry Volume Numbers 1 to 123, and State Record volumes numbered 5/4219, 5/4221 and 5/3841, and may take note of any recorded details; and
• that any person requiring a copy of the actual record should apply to the Registry in the usual way as State Records may not issue any print or any other kind of photocopy from the microfilms.

Applications for certified copies should be made to:

Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
GPO Box 30, SYDNEY NSW 2001
Website: www.bdm.nsw.gov.au
Email: bdm-webmail@agd.nsw.gov.au

All applications should quote the appropriate Registry volume and entry numbers, as well as name(s) of individual(s) and nature of the ceremony.

The Registry has also authorised that State Records sell sets of these microfilms for public use in libraries or societies. Requests for these films, or replacements, should be made to State Records quoting the SR Reel Numbers. Copies of these films will only be supplied to institutions undertaking to adhere to the conditions outlined above.

The microfilming of these records was carried out by The Genealogical Society of Utah in co-operation with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and State Records.

State Records wishes to thank the Society for its vital contribution to this project, and for making its negatives freely available for supply to other institutions.

Indexes Microfiche, CD-Rom and online Indexes to Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1788+ are available from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

b. Supplementary registers of marriages, baptisms and burials - Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational (SR Reels 4501-4537).
37 microfilm.

These are records which had been created in the churches throughout New South Wales - which the Registrar General acquired from the churches in order to check them against official records in his custody and ensure that the latter were complete; and also in order to ensure that they were permanently preserved.

The Society of Australian Genealogists, the Uniting Church in Australia and the Presbyterian Church of Australia in New South Wales were also concerned in the microfilming of these records and copies of these microfilms are also held by them.

(SZ1022-26, 5/3824-4223). 356 vols.

Restriction on photocopying

Copying from the Supplementary registers of marriages, baptisms and burials - Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational is not permitted.

Note:
This description, as amended, is extracted from Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, 3rd Edition 2000.