VPRS 15131 Rate Books

This series contains records of rates charged on properties in the municipality, and also includes estimates of receipts and expenditure, and summaries of rates paid and arrears. The final two volumes in the series include records created during the first year after the Shire of Templestowe united with the Shire of Doncaster in 1915. Related and subsequent records can be found in the rate books of the Shire of Doncaster and Shire of Doncaster and Templestowe.The series is organised chronologically by the year or period covered by the rate. From 1863 to 1873, the rate was fixed in December and payable the following year. In 1873/74, the rate was made for six months only, from 1 December 1873 to 31 May 1874. The volumes are organised by calendar year from 1875 to 1904, then by financial year (1 October - 30 September) from 1905/06 onwards. (The 1905 volume records the rate made for the period 1 January - 30 September 1905.)Within each year, the entries are organised numerically by the rate number, and also generally alphabetically by surname of ratepayer (although some names are out of alphabetical order so the lists should be searched carefully).In some years the entries in the volumes are further grouped according to subdivisions or ridings. In 1873/74, there is a separate alphabetical list for the Andersons Creek or Warrandyte Subdivision of the Road District of Templestowe. From 1875 to 1890, the lists in each year are divided into subdivisions or ridings - Templestowe, Doncaster and Warrandyte - and organised alphabetically within each riding. The Doncaster Riding separated from the Shire of Bulleen in mid-1890 to form the Shire of Doncaster, so the rate books from 1891 onwards contain entries for two ridings only, Templestowe and Warrandyte.From 1906/07 onwards, separate books were compiled for each riding, with numbers commencing from 1 for each riding in each year, and entries continuing to be generally alphabetical by surname.Note: Earlier lists of rates charged and received can be found with the following records of the Templestowe District Road Board. Rate lists 1857 - 1858 can be found among annual financial records of the Board 1856/57 - 1860/61, which are in the same volume as minutes 1856 - 1859. Rate lists 1861 - 1863 can be found with annual statements of receipts and expenditure of the Board 1860/61 - 1862/63. These early rate lists include details such as names of owners and occupiers, acreages, rental value of buildings, and occasionally brief descriptions of properties (eg store, hotel) but do not often refer to locations of properties.