How to Use the AJCP

The most important tool to access the Australian Joint Copying Project material is the series of handbooks which was produced to accompany the collection. Before conducting any research you should read the introduction in Part 1. Once you find a relevant entry it is vital that you note down all parts of the reference as some material can be difficult to find within the microfilm reel. It is important to check the latest edition of the handbook. The list below shows the various classes of records with examples of some of the key sections useful for family historians. The edition shown is the latest available for each handbook. Please note that the entries within the PRO series are not necessarily arranged in class order so you need to check the contents page at the front of each volume.

AJCP Handbooks

Part 1 General introduction and Shelf List

3rd ed. 2000
This handbook gives an introduction to the project. There are also two lists in microfilm reel number order giving class and piece; dates and titles of material within both the PRO and Miscellaneous series. Please note that headings are fairly general.
From this reel number listing you can see that there is no logical order and that the sequence frequently jumps from one class of records to another. If you have a microfilm reel number only, you need to look at Part 1 to find out which handbook to consult for further information.

Part 2 Colonial Office

1984 reprint with addenda
This is the largest class of records and formed the original source of filming for the AJCP. The Colonial Office was responsible for the administration of the Australian colonies and no aspect of colonial life escaped the scrutiny of British officials. The Colonial Office required that the entire population be accounted for which resulted in census and muster records and statistical returns (Blue books). It includes letters and petitions from individuals as well as official governors' reports covering topics such as land grants, debts, appointments, expeditions, arrival of emigrants, conduct of convicts, admission to asylums and more.
Some of the most useful sections are:

CO 13 - Original correspondence for South Australia
CO 17 - Blue books for South Australia
CO 18 - Original correspondence for WA
CO 19 - WA Acts 1844-1852
CO 201 - Original correspondence for NSW
CO 206 - Blue books for NSW
CO 207 - Convicts in NSW
CO 234 - Original correspondence for Queensland
CO 280 - Original correspondence for Tasmania
CO 284 - Blue books for Tasmania
CO 309 - Original correspondence for Victoria
CO 313 - Blue books for Victoria
CO 714 - Index to Correspondence for NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA and NZ

The index to correspondence consists of an alphabetical subject list for each state with general headings such as Convicts, Police, Wool etc. followed by a list of individuals arranged under initial letter. The reference given is to a date when the correspondence was written. Please note that not all individuals who are referred to in the correspondence will appear in the index so it is worth looking through the appropriate dates anyway.
Each piece within this class will also generally have an index at the back. For this reason it is advisable to go to the end of the reel before conducting your search. Where a piece extends over two reels, you should go to the second reel first. This index will refer you to the date and despatch number.

Part 3 Home Office

1984 reprint with addenda
The Home Office was responsible for the administration of the penal system and its records are invaluable for family historians researching convict ancestry.
Some of the most useful sections are:
HO 8 - Quarterly detailed quarterly lists of convicts in prisons or hulks in Britain
HO 9 - More lists of convicts on prison hulks
HO 10 - Early census and muster records for New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land
HO 10 - Pardons
HO 11 - Convict transportation registers - lists of convict ships arranged by date of departure from Britain. Convicts are listed alphabetically by place of conviction within each ship
HO 13 - Criminal papers. Correspondence & warrants – details of people being transferred from gaols to prison hulks and convict ships
HO 26 - Criminal registers for Middlesex
HO 27 - Criminal registers for other counties

Part 4 War Office

2nd ed. 1986
This class contains material about the military forces employed in colonial administration.
Some of the most useful sections are:
WO 10 - Muster books and pay lists, Artillery
WO 11 - Muster books and pay lists, Royal Engineers
WO 12 - Muster books and pay lists, General
WO 22 - Pensions
WO 25 - Various registers including description books, casualty returns etc. – these are particularly useful for the 102nd Foot or New South Wales Corps.

Part 5 Foreign Office

1984 reprint with addenda
This class of records is not so useful for genealogists.

Part 6 Air Ministry, Board of Trade, Exchequer & Audit Department, Treasury and other Record Groups

2nd ed. 1995
Part 6 contains several smaller classes as follows:
AIR - Air Ministry
AO - Exchequer and Audit Department
BJ - Meteorological Office
BT - Board of Trade
BT 128 - Registers of certificates of competency: masters & mates: colonial trade
C - Chancery
Cab - Cabinet Office
Cust - Customs
Lab - Ministry of Labour
MT - Ministry of Transport
MT 32 contains surgeon’s journals for convict ships for 1858-1867
PC - Privy Council
P Com - Prison Commission
P Com 2 - Calendars of prisoners held for trial at quarter sessions and assizes for the period 1816-1866. Includes Millbank, Pentonville, Portland, Portsmouth and Newgate prisons as well as the prison hulks Defence, Stirling Castle, York and Retribution. Please note that PRO reels 5979-5984 are labelled as Portland but are in fact Portsmouth.
PMG - Paymaster General’s Office
PREM - Prime Minister
RAIL - British Transport Commission
T - Treasury
Board of Longitude
Maps and Plans

Part 7 Admiralty

2nd ed. 1993
The Admiralty Office was kept informed of naval matters by captains on voyages of discovery, from admirals in charge of stations in the East Indies and the Pacific and by ships’ surgeons. This class includes surgeons’ journals for emigrant and convict ships.
Some of the most useful sections are:

Sketch by surgeon, Alexander Rattray,
during a voyage on HMS Salamander
to Australia in 1867 [AJCP reel M 711.
Original now held at The National Archives,
Kew at Adm 101/138]

Adm 6 - Records relating to convict ships, in particular the Cumberland and the Dolphin
Adm 36 - Ships’ musters
Adm 55 - Captains’ logs
Adm 96 - Royal Marines
Adm101 - Medical journals for convict and emigrant ships

Part 8 Miscellaneous

3rd ed. 1998
This series of records is taken from non Public Record Office archives throughout the UK including associations, businesses, churches, county record offices etc. Examples of records filmed include diaries, letters, logs, journals, convict records and pictorial matter including rare maps, charts, sketches of colonial buildings and portraits. This handbook is well indexed and individual names and places can be found using the index at the back of the Part 8 volume. Detailed notes have been produced for many of the microfilm reels in this series. These are located in 14 volumes in the Genealogy Centre.

Part 9 Public Record Office Personal Collection

1991
This collection covers records acquired by the PRO from individuals, families or organisations. They were usually people who had had some involvement in public life. There is an index at the back of this volume to particular people and subjects.
Reels PRO 6108-6109 in the Carnarvon Papers include information about convict management in Western Australia.

Part 10 Dominions

1991
This material tends to be later, ranging from the 1920s to the 1950s. The list is also more detailed, going to file level rather than class and piece. The following section includes information on Fairbridge Farm School and the Group Settlement Scheme.
DO 57 - Overseas settlement. Original correspondence, 1925-36
For Fairbridge Farm School see PRO reels 6711, 6726, 6757, 6772
For the Group Settlement Scheme see PRO reels 6734, 6736, 6747, 6756-7, 6772

Part 11

2005
This handbook covers the classes filmed in the last five years of the project so it is important to remember to check here for records from all different classes.

Other key indexes to AJCP material

Deane index re-indexed 1823-1840: settlers, military, convicts etc.
This index, initially compiled by Miss Mathilde Deane in 1929-30, indexed the names of people writing to the Colonial Office in the early years of European settlement. This reworked version on CD-ROM indexes all people and ships mentioned in the letters in addition to the letter writers and gives the relevant Colonial Office reference and AJCP microfilm reel number. It is an extremely useful tool for those researching early settlers in New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land.
Index to the historical records of Australia 1788-1848
This CD-ROM indexes all 35 volumes of the Historic Records of Australia published up to 2004.
Log of logs: a catalogue of logs, journals, shipboard diaries, letters and all forms of shipboard narratives, 1788-1988, for Australia and New Zealand and surrounding oceans
This important set of volumes by Ian Nicholson is invaluable for researching ships. Look up the name of the ship you are researching and you will be referred to the AJCP reel number for captains’ logs, shipboard journals, surgeon’s journals etc.
Convict transportation registers database
This database from the State Library of Queensland includes details of 123,000 of the estimated 160,000 convicts transported to Australia and refers you to both the PRO and AJCP reference numbers.
Index: Australian Joint Copying Project Prison Commission registers, AJCP PCom2, reels 5971-5991
This is a very useful microfiche index to the UK Prisons Commission records produced by volunteers from the Western Australian Genealogical Society. Viewing the AJCP reel can often reveal extra information about convicts, such as who visited them in gaol, and sometimes addresses are given.
State Records Office of Western Australia
For Western Australian correspondence you should visit the State Records Office which has various indexes available. See their web page on Colonial Secretary's Office correspondence for more information. You may need to refer to the AJCP collection in cases where there was an enclosure with outward correspondence. If this is the case, make a careful note of the date and subject matter.

Other useful sources

Most well-researched historical material relating to Australasia will either include direct references to AJCP reel numbers or references to material held at the National Archives in the UK. Some examples are given here:
The Army in Australia, 1840-1850: prelude to the golden years
This is an excellent source of information on the army in Australia during the early years of European settlement. It gives statistics on troop numbers and placement and includes information on enrolled pensioner guards.
Bound for Australia
This invaluable book explains how to trace ancestors who were bound for Australia, whether convicts or free settlers. It goes through the process stage by stage and gives lots of examples.
Criminal ancestors: a guide to historical criminal records in England and Wales
Historical Records of Australia
Transcribed Governors’ Despatches for New South Wales were published in Series I in 26 volumes. Published in chronological order with an index at the back of each volume. Please note that later series are also held.
Historical Records of New South Wales
An earlier project to transcribe Governors’ Despatches published in 9 volumes.
Historical Records of New Zealand
Transcribed Governors' Despatches for New Zealand published in 2 volumes.
Convict records in Australia
This extremely useful work explains which records are available for tracing convicts in all Australian states. For WA convicts it is a useful supplement to Gillian O'Mara's work (listed below) because it was published more recently. It gives references to AJCP reel numbers where applicable.
Convict records of Western Australia: a research guide
This is the key work to consult for those researching Western Australian convicts.
The records of the War Office and related departments, 1660-1964
Criminal register indexes
This series of CD-ROMs indexes names appearing in class HO 27 Criminal registers for counties other than Middlesex for 1805-1816.
My ancestor was in the British army: how can I find out more about him?
My ancestor was a merchant seaman: how can I find out more about him?

If you have an AJCP reel number

Even if you have been given a microfilm reel number you should consult the AJCP handbooks to double check the reference and find the piece number (PRO series) or detailed notes if available (M series). For a PRO series microfilm number (without the M prefix) go to the AJCP handbook Part 1 and locate your microfilm reel number. Note down the full reference, then consult the latest edition of the relevant handbook for further details. For an M series microfilm, go to the AJCP handbook Part 8. The entry will indicate whether or not detailed notes are available in the 14 volume series.

If you have a PRO reference number

Check to see which handbook covers the class of records you are looking for. Go to the latest edition of the correct handbook and look at the contents page to see which page number covers the class of records you are interested in. Turning to that page, look for the piece number. The reel number will be given alongside the piece number and the date.

If you are looking for a particular person or topic

Try some of the indexes listed on this page. If you have no success, you will need to use the handbooks to browse for the appropriate place and time period. It may also be worth searching on Google or Rootsweb using ajcp as a keyword + the person's name or topic.

Locating your AJCP reel

There is currently no up-to-date listing of AJCP microfilms held at the State Library so you need to check the drawers on the 1st floor to see if the reel is there. If it is not available it can be ordered from the National Library by asking at the 1st floor Information Desk.

Citing AJCP material

Citations should refer to the original material and the microfilm reference number as shown below:

PRO Series

CO 18/67. Western Australia. Original Correspondence. Despatches July – August 1852 (AJCP reel PRO 454)

M Series

East Sussex Record Office. Parish Records. Ashburnham. (AJCP reel M 817)

Page last updated: Wednesday 16 January 2013