70,000 names: 'Series/Quote' service for Document Copies

Example of file cover (list of contents)

My Web site lists more than 70,000 names from original historical records that I've indexed. The Web pages include 'Insanity and Unsound Mind index' and 'Identifying a Child's Biological Father'.

The 'Record Series and Quote' services described on those pages are designed to help clients avoid wasting money on copies that will not be relevant. Let me give you an example.

I've changed the names here to preserve client confidentiality. In my first email ('Record Series and Quote' report), I told the client which record series was involved (files for mental asylum patients) and I gave an estimate of the cost.

Client's final email:

I would like a digital copy of the record for Mary BLOGGS.

My final reply:

I retrieved our correspondence from my computer's deleted files, and it showed:

On 5 May 2021, you wrote, '...born Mary JONES in 1909, married Joe BLOGGS 1928'.

My report said: 'Mary BLOGGS... admission date in or about 1908'.

So... this file, for Mary BLOGGS admitted in about 1908, cannot be for your Mary JONES, who wasn't even born then, and didn't marry BLOGGS until 1928.

My 'Record Series and Quote' service is designed to help clients avoid wasting money on copies that will not be relevant. A less ethical researcher would have simply taken your $40 and sent the file. I chose not to do that.

I hope this example will convince you that it's worthwhile (1) following the instructions on my Web pages, (2) using my 'Record Series and Quote' service when it's available, and (3) reading my reports carefully.

(This post first appeared on https://qld-genealogy.blogspot.com/2021/05/70000-names-seriesquote-service-for.html.)

Improved Searches for Births Deaths and Marriages (Queensland)

The Queensland Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages has today (16 October 2013) released an improved version of its search engine. Features include:

• It is no longer necessary to enter information in the 'Last name' field. You can leave that blank and just enter the person's first name, the first name of their father or mother, or any combination of these. You can also use the wildcard feature on all of these search fields.
• Mother's maiden surname is once again shown in results for death index searches. (This wasn't mentioned in the press release, but I was pleased to see it. We've been waiting a while for that to be fixed - see 'Maiden Names missing from Qld death indexes online'.)

In the field labelled 'Mother's first name', you can enter the first name plus surname to narrow down the results, but beware of spelling variants.

Now that you can omit the surname:

1. Enter 'father's name + mother's name' to find deaths of daughters whose married surname you do not know.
2. That technique may also find:
   • previously unknown siblings
   • events registered under weird spelling variants.
3. Enter 'mother's name' only to find illegitimate births.

You will find that some illegitimate births are registered under multiple surnames. In this example the birth is registered under DREW, DENMAN and SOLWAY.

Some illegitimate births are registered under multiple surnames

My main Web site has an index and advice for family historians who are trying to identify the father of an illegitimate child. I have also created a mini-guide, Researching Illegitimate Children.

Did you know that Victorian birth, death & marriage indexes are now on FindMyPast?

Police Summons Sheets

An interesting series that I recently used for the first time is Rockhampton Police Station summons sheets 1898-1905 (Queensland State Archives series ID 6545). The three volumes (item IDs 212364-212366; previous system A/146-A/148) cover 1 Nov 1898 - 13 Jul 1900, 29 Apr 1902 - 1 Sep 1903 and 6 Nov 1904 - 7 Feb 1905. Details shown are date, plaintiff (sometimes 'police'), defendant, offence, judgement and magistrate's name. Entries are chronological.

A wide variety of offences are listed. They include larceny; assault; insulting words; obscene language; excessive use of liquor; boarding a train while in motion; breaches of various Acts and By-laws; child desertion; wife desertion; disobeying a maintenance order; failing to contribute to support of children in an orphanage; and affiliation. ('Affiliation' refers to a court order against a man alleged to be the father of an illegitimate child, requiring him to make payments towards the child's upkeep.)

One entry in A/146 shows that Bob LONG, charged with 'larceny, lollies', was 'convicted but not punished upon condition that his father flogs him'.

To check whether similar sources exist for other towns, search for the phrase summons sheet in ArchivesSearch.

Other 'unusual' sources are described on my Web site, which lists over 70,000 names from records in Archives.

Magdalen Asylum, Lutwyche (Julia CRONIN)

A letter dated 18 Jun 1897 says that Julia CRONIN was sent from the Magdalen Asylum, Lutwyche (Sisters of Mercy) to be confined at the Lady Bowen Hospital. The letter was in a bundle at Qld State Archives (previous system location CUR/R297) but it appears to have been filed there by mistake.

Illegitimate child's father named in inquest

An illegitimate child who is in the Registrar-General's index under the mother's surname, with no father's name shown, may appear in Justice Department inquest indexes/files under the father's surname.

Actual examples are:

'William SMITH, son of Catherine, father's name BROOM'

'Mary Anne DOBIKIN, daughter of Margaret, father's name Thomas JENYNS'.