NRS-937 | Copies of letters sent within the Colony [Colonial Secretary]

Copies of letters addressed to officials, corporate bodies and individuals in the Colony and its out-settlements. Most of the letters are written by the Private Secretary, or from 1821, the Colonial Secretary, but there are a number written by the Governor. There are some letters here addressed to the Governor from the Colonial Secretary.Letters to Commandants and others in the out-settlements are entered here to 29 March 1826 with some exceptions. Letters to Van Diemen's Land and Newcastle are continued from NRS 936 and those to Port Macquarie are continued in NRS 992 from 28 June 1822. From 30 December 1823 letters to Van Diemen's Land are in NRS 939. From then on it was usual to open a separate book for letters to distant settlements and letters to Melville Island are in NRS 981 commencing 14 August 1824 though the first letter is in this present series also. Letters to Moreton Bay beginning 27 August 1824 are in NRS 983 and those to Norfolk Island beginning May 1825 in NRS 988.From 30 March 1826 the structure of this present series alters. It now includes letters addressed mainly to individuals and private bodies. Letters to magistrates, clergy and minor officials are still entered here until separate series were opened for them on 6 October 1826 (Clergy - NRS 950, Magistrates - NRS 989), and on 4 December 1826 (Miscellaneous establishments, NRS 970). Letters to most of the officials are in separate series, NRS 941, but letters to some officials may appear in both this series and NRS 941 at different times. It was a period of transition with some slight confusion. There is a pencil note in the back of the March-July 1826 volume: "The next to this becomes the private book". The next volume, however, still includes some letters to officials until 3 December 1826. The first entirely "Private book" was commenced on 30 January 1827 (NRS 943). The volumes contain returns of persons applying to be married (their names do not appear in the indexes) and also the following returns:(a) Lists of applicants for renewal of spirit licences, by town, 1818 [4/3498 pp.62-64]; 1819 [4/3499 pp.318-20].(b) List of Magistrates for the County of Cumberland (name and date of commission), March 1820 [4/3501 pp.305-06].(c) List of convicts in Van Diemen's Land with their times and places of trial and sentence. Extracted from the indents as called for by Lieutenant Governor Sorell in his letter dated 31 July. 10 September 1822 [4/3506 pp.297-99].(d) Lists of convicts sent to Van Diemen's Land, Port Macquarie and Newcastle.(4/3493-520; Microfilm copy of 4/3493-3516 part at SR Reels 6004-6016. Microfilm copy of 4/3493-509 and 4/3511-20 at SR Reels 1028-1041; of 4/3510 at SR Reel 2649; another copy of 4/3493 at SR Reel 754). 29 vols. *ARK (1814-25) . Note:This description is based on the Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, 3rd Edition 2000.