Record series
Chief Protector Of Aborigines' Outward Letter Book
VPRS 2895
1849 - 1850
Open
North Melbourne
Agencies
This record series was created by:
Guardian of Aborigines ( VA513 ): 1849 - 1850
Agencies responsible for this record series: Date Range
Series date range: 1849 - 1850
Series in custody:
1849 - 1850
Contents in custody:
1849 - 1850
Function / Content
This series consists of an Outward Letter Book created by the Chief Protector of Aborigines (VA 512), and, subsequently, by the Guardian of Aborigines (VA 513). The Outward Letter Book contains a copy of the 1848 Chief Protector's Annual Report as well as copies of outwards correspondence from the Chief Protector of Aborigines.The report covers the Mount Rouse, Goulbourn, Loddon, and Merri Creek Aboriginal Stations, as well as various missions and Native Police. Information for each Protectorate District (i.e. North Eastern, North Western, Western and Westernport) is recorded on the following subjects: personnel, medical, agriculture, stock, building and improvements, conduct of aborigines, births and deaths, expenditures, religion, education, native police and crime. Appendix to the Report includes information such as a list of Births and Deaths at specific Stations (which provides an indication of the name, tribe, age, marital status and date), numbers of days a specific individual was present or absent from a Station, and other statistical information.
Correspondence covers various aspects of business relating to the office of Chief Protector of Aborigines, such as those mentioned in the Annual Report. The letters from the 1850 time period relate to the final business of the Chief Protector's Department, carried over from its official abolishment in December of 1849.
The volume containing this series was also used as a stores requisition register by the General Branch of an unknown department in the mid 1850s. The reuse of volumes for purposes other than they were originally created for occurred frequently in Government as a cost-cutting measure.
Annual Reports sent from Robinson to the Superintendent of Port Phillip District can also be located in VPRS 10 Registered Inward Correspondence to the Superintendent of Port Phillip District relating to Aboriginal Affairs, VPRS 19 Inward Registered Correspondence and VPRS 4399 Duplicate Annual Reports of the Chief Protector of Aborigines.
How to use the records
Locate the section of the report of interest by browsing through the subject headings (primarily located in the left hand margin).Locate the letter of interest by selecting the dates most relevant to the research being conducted, or by noting the addressee of interest, or by browsing through the letters to discover the topic of interest.
Recordkeeping system
Pages 1-43 of the volume contain a copy of the Chief Protector's Annual Report for 1848. Pages 44-57 of the volume contain copies of outward correspondence from October 1849 to February 1850.Letters were arranged in chronological order and numbered from 119 - 165.
The Annual Report was divided into sections covering the various aboriginal stations and missions, and contained brief subject headings in the left margin relating to the various topics covered.
In accordance with Regulation 7 of the Public Records Regulations 1973 the records in this series are considered to be of exceptional value and can only be inspected in their microform copy (VPRS 4467). In exceptional circumstances approval may be granted by the Keeper of Public Records for the inspection of the original records.
