What the Archives did with my index

One of five volumes of pension records  that I indexed

When I published my index to Queensland's old age pension records, I donated a copy to the Public Search Room at Queensland State Archives. I recently discovered that it was no longer there. I also found out why - and I was not happy!

The Archives said that they took it away to create an electronic version (which will undoubtedly end up on the Archives Web site). I was told that my indexes 'cause trouble' because people see the names on Findmypast, but don't quote the source reference shown there when they order document copies from the Archives. I don't know how many such orders they get, but it is apparently too much trouble for staff to consult my printed index.

I pointed out that I donated my index for the benefit of family historians who visit the Public Search Room. The archivist agreed to put it back there, but (get this!) she said that they may have already removed the binding and started scanning the pages of my index, in which case it will take a while to get them bound into book form again.

I should mention that I'd previously been asked whether I would give the Archives an electronic copy, and I said NO (along the lines of, 'If you want to waste time reinventing the wheel create an index, knock yourselves out, but don't take advantage of all my hard work').

Genealogy is my business, and I've spent thousands of hours indexing original records!

My indexes to hospital records have also disappeared from the Public Search Room. The Archives may try to tell you that they removed them because the records are no longer open to the public. The Croydon Hospital index 1888-1919 includes some pages that are currently less than one hundred years old, but most are accessible now, as are all of the Brisbane Hospital and pension records that I indexed.

For more information about the records, 70,000 names from my indexes, and details of my research and copying services, follow links on 'indexes to historical records and other sources for genealogy'.

(This post first appeared on https://qld-genealogy.blogspot.com/2017/08/what-archives-did-with-my-index.html.)

Hospital Admission Registers as a Source for Family History

A typical hospital admission register

Hospital admission registers provide a solution to many genealogical dead ends and brick walls!

People born in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, America, Canada and other parts of the world appear in Queensland hospital admission registers. Biographical details supplied by the patient are often more complete and more accurate than those on certificates. A hospital register is sometimes the only surviving source of information about the ship on which a person arrived.

Many people spent time in a hospital far from their home. This applies especially to Brisbane (a large hospital capable of handling difficult cases), Cooktown (with many miners and sailors from ships in port) and Croydon (people came here from everywhere during the local gold rush).

The registers for Brisbane General Hospital, Brisbane Prison Hospital, and hospitals at Burketown, Cooktown, Croydon, Ingham, Muttaburra and Roma, are printed volumes with space for these details:

• name
• date admitted
• age
• birthplace (town, State/county and country)
• occupation
• religion
• ship of arrival
• how long in the colony
• last place of residence
• marital status
• place of marriage, at what age, and name of spouse
• names and ages of children living; number and gender of children deceased
• father's name and occupation
• father's present residence if living (or 'father dead')
• mother's maiden name
• disease or reason for admission
• date of discharge, or date and cause of death
• remarks (which may include medical history, social circumstances etc.)

Some Brisbane registers also give details of employment, wages, other sources of income, other wage-earners in the family, property, membership of clubs or benefit societies, and names and addresses of relatives or friends.

Note the provision for ship of arrival, place of residence, marital status, and father's present residence - details not found on a Queensland death certificate.

A few hospital records exist for other towns such as Mackay and Toowoomba, but they are less informative.

Dates of surviving registers and where to find them, plus thousands of names from my indexes to hospital records, are on my main Web site. Even if you don't think your family were ever in Queensland, follow this link to check the lists of names from Queensland hospital admission registers. Many people have been surprised by what they've found!

Brisbane Hospital admissions index

You will see some differences between my index to Brisbane Hospital admissions for part of 1887, and the index compiled recently by Qld State Archives. In some cases we interpreted the handwriting differently (see my advice re handwriting) and in other cases one of us made a mistake. No index is perfect, and there are mistakes in the Archives' index and in mine. (I have fixed a couple of mistakes on my Web page.)

I am disappointed that the Archives wasted staff/volunteers' time by duplicating work that I did years ago. There are hundreds of other wonderful sources that they could have indexed instead! And they were aware of my index, because I donated a copy for use in their Public Search Room.