VPRS 8915 Valuation Field Books

Each ward had its own series of valuation field books beginning in at least 1864 which were used to generate the rate books of the City of Melbourne (VPRS 5708). The original four wards were Bourke, Gipps, LaTrobe and Lonsdale. Valuer's Office staff valued each rateable property within the ward on an annual basis (until 1952) and thereafter most properties were valued three times within a ten year period.Each valuation field book created prior to 1952 included information such as the building owner, building occupier, street name, number in street (property), description of property and valuation.In 1952 field books were replaced by a similar system using rate cards. Virtually the same information was provided as before, but with the addition of notes regarding sales of properties outlining sale price, etc.The field books in the P2 consignment (from 1978) comprise cards placed within binders and separated into area (CBD, Citywide and Outer Regions) rather than ward. The reason for this is because the ward names and boundaries changed significantly across the late 70s and early 80s.The cards within each field book in the P2 consignment contain the following details: ward, location (property address), property number, description of property, land size, block number, volume and folio number, building size, site value, capital improved value, net annual value, owner, occupiers/rental details, sale price, sale date valuation calculations and notes.