VPRS 1461 Mining Registrar's Register Of Tenements, Ballarat Mining Division

This series is a Register of Tenements as maintained by the Mining Registrar of the Ballarart Mining Division within the Ballarat Mining District. The exact meaning of the term tenement is unclear but it is probable it has the same meaning as the word claim which is the word used in various Mining acts. Further research will be required to confirm this.Mining RegistrarsThe Gold Fields Laws Amendment Act 1860 (24 Vic.,No.115) empowered the Governor-in-Council to appoint Mining Registrars in the Mining Districts to carry out duties prescribed in the mining by-laws for their district. Mining Registrars were primarily concerned with claims or privileges held under miners rights. Responsibilities included the registration and transfer of various types of claims specified in the mining by-laws. Mining Registrars were also responsible for preparing reports and statistics showing the progress of mining within their district.Mining Registrars Register of ClaimsUnder the mining by-laws the holder of a miners right was entitled to take up various claims. Each type of claim specified the nature of the mining activity which could be undertaken. The types of claims included:prospecting claims (along a reef)alluvial claims (for shallow sinking)tunnelling claimsluicing and puddling claimswater right or water race claimsite for machinerysite for a damsite for residence (to 1936).Registers of Claims may be specific to a particular type of claim (eg. Register of Water Races, Register of Residence Areas) or may include a mixture of claims. In circumstances where claims were taken up by partnerships the Register of Claims will usually include a record of the agreed percentage of shares of each of the partners.Claims were entered in the Registers in chronological order as they were received.In many cases claims have been numbered, however, the numbering systems are not always clear. Various numbering sequences may be recorded and often the sequences have many gaps. Further research is required into this.A Register of Claims will often include:number and date of claimname of holder or ownernumber of Miners Right and date of Miners Rightparticulars of the claimlocalitydetails of transfers or amalgamations of claims.