NRS-1040 | Registers of Certificates of Naturalization

These volumes contain a complete copy of each certificate of naturalization, certified as having been entered on record by the Colonial Secretary or Under Secretary. In many cases, particularly from 1890 onwards, the certificates are annotated with the relevant Colonial Secretary In-letter number of the memorial requesting the naturalization.The volumes covering 1849-59 were probably maintained because it was thought necessary that a full record of instruments passing the Great Seal of the Colony should be kept in the Colonial Secretary's Office. From 1876 to 1903, under the provisions of Act 39 Vic. no.19, the Colonial Secretary was specifically charged with the duty of keeping the naturalization records.The final certificate of naturalization granted in New South Wales was issued on 31 December 1903, although it was not entered on record until 7 May 1904.The certificates are numbered within each volume, and there is an alphabetical index in the front of each.The memorial or application for the certificate of naturalization can be found within the Main series of letters received. In addition to the memorial itself, the correspondence may include: the declaration by the applicant for a certificate of naturalization, a minute paper for the Executive Council recommending that a certificate of naturalization be granted, and certification that the Oath of Allegiance had been taken.1849-59, 1876-1903 (4/1200-01, 4/1204-16). 15 vols. For an item list for this series see Naturalization / Citizenship Guide.Note: This description is extracted from Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, 3rd Edition 2000.