VPRS 9448 Duty Diary of Assistant Inspector of Nuisances

This diary is a daily record of the complaints handled by the Assistant Inspector of Public Nuisances on a day by day basis.The days date is recorded and it is followed by details of complaints, names and addresses of nuisances, notes on what was found on inspection, names of people to whom he spoke, and action to be taken by the person responsible. Many of the complaints are about overflowing closets, animals, and rubbish.ProvenanceThis record was transferred to the Public Record Office from the City of Melbourne Archives in 1995, however it is an estray. It was returned to the custody of the City of Melbourne Archives in the 1980s by an unnamed person. The particulars related to its return were not recorded at the time. An anonymous note was found in the volume which reads:Old records - if of any interest for ArchivesEntries of duties carried out by Mr William Edward Sexton Employee of Melbourne City Council. I think he was Inspector of Nuisances. Entries of duties show 1897 to 1899. He resigned in order to join the Hawthorn Town Hall staff in 1900 I think.The record has been retained for its historical interest. This is a first-hand account of public nuisances of the time, many related to sanitation and public works. The same problems would also be recorded in Council minutes, Committee minutes and other records.