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I just love history

~ Local and Family History

I just love history

Tag Archives: Public Record Office Victoria

Finding records on PROV website

27 Tuesday Mar 2018

Posted by Susie Zada in Database and Indexes, Essentials, Local History, Uncategorized

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PROV, Public Record Office Victoria, Search records

PROV Simple Search 01aPeople don’t welcome change but sometimes the NEW version is better than the OLD version.  That’s the case with the updated PROV website!

There is still more to be added but it’s definitely worth using the new version.

Learn some simple steps and start to really enjoy using it!

Not sure? – ASK !

10 Sunday Dec 2017

Posted by Susie Zada in Heritage, Land Documents, My projects

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Tags

Application Files, BDM Certificates, Indentures\, Land Records, Private Burial Grounds, Public Record Office Victoria, VPRS 460

When you’re at that stage in your research that you’re sure something should exist but you just can’t find it – sit back and think quietly and logically – and if you’re still stuck – ASK!  I’m not simply talking about asking questions on Facebook – and don’t get me wrong I personally have had a lot of success on Facebook and hopefully helped many others with their questions.

I’m talking about asking experts – and sometimes more than one expert – two or more brains are often better than one!

I’ve mentioned this in a previous blog – Ask a librarian – it’s wonderful!  And there have been many other occasions where the opportunity to ask a librarian has been an absolute gold-mine.

This time I was stuck with some land records from the Public Record Office Victoria – VPRS 460.

I also made a big MISTAKE – I didn’t read and understand the description for VPRS 460: Applications for Certificate of Title.  I merely groaned and said … “Murphy’s Law – the ones I want aren’t there!”

I had quickly read the description that said …

Note that VPRS 460/P0 units 3213 to 30298 do not exist.

I had incorrectly presumed that the FILES I wanted weren’t there whereas the description stated that the UNITS weren’t there!

If you read the description now, you could be forgiven for saying I was silly not to read the next couple of sentences which were perfectly clear.  BUT I wasn’t that silly, I’m just grateful that PROV have since updated the description in the catalogue so others don’t make the same mistake that I did.

After I ASKED for help, the verbal explanation made perfect sense … part way through the consignment [P0], they had changed the way the Application files were catalogued – initially UNITS equated to boxes which contained numerous FILES.  From Application File Number 30299, each FILE was a UNIT.

The Application files EXIST – all the ones I’d grumbled about as “missing” were there!  My big mistake – I didn’t read the Description properly and I didn’t ASK!

And why are these files so important?  The contents can be amazing.

The ACTUAL Application files are currently in the Land Titles archives at Laverton – the General Law Library for the Registrar General Office documents.  The SUPPORTING documents are at PROV.  From the PROV description of VPRS 460:

If the researcher holds a certificate of title for the piece of land, then the application number may be marked on that certificate. If present, the number may be shown with the words, for example, “derived from application number 12345”.

This series consists of the files created to record the progress of applications to bring land alienated from the Crown prior to 2 October 1862 into the Torrens system of land registration.

VPRS 460 at PROV contains the details and background documents.  At the beginning of this blog is an image of a death certificate.  Why?  In VPRS 460, together with a Statutory Declaration they were evidence as to why the family of the late John MACKEN / McKIE had no claim to the land.  In fact the Stat Dec gave amazing details of John MACKEN’s life and work on the property in question.

Another property I was researching contained multiple documents including an Indenture for a Mortgage.  It was a LONG document to transcribe but well worth it when you find these amazing words:

portion of the said land has been and is now used as a cemetery

Not exactly what you expect to find but it had been claimed that two people were buried on the property.  Other documents in the VPRS 460 file also refer to this private burial ground.

Now do you understand why I love finding VPRS 460 Application files?

And I am so glad that I ASKED!

 

 

Victoria, Inquest Deposition Files 1840-1925 – online

08 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by Susie Zada in Database and Indexes, Important news

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Beta web site, Give feedback, Inquests 1840-1925, PROV, Public Record Office Victoria, Victorian Inquests

Sample of Victoria Inquest Deposition FileGot an itch to do some research this weekend?  There are limitations – you can’t print or download – BUT if you want to look at Inquest Deposition Files for Victoria 1840-1925 online just go to the under-utilised FamilySearch site.

At the moment you CAN view these on the Public Record Office web site but they are not easy to locate.  It won’t be long before these records are fully searchable and the files will be online on the PROV web site.  And of course don’t forget to look at the NEW BETA web site for PROV – give them some feedback on this exciting new change.  Try some of your inquest searches on the new web site – be prepared for a surprise – you’ll find some online that you can view.

Try the FamilySearch web site for the Victorian Inquest Deposition Files 1840-1925.

And don’t blame me if your weekend just disappears!

Such a nervous day!

03 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by Susie Zada in Essentials, My projects

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Historian's Backpack, Land Victoria, Public Record Office Victoria

Research TripYesterday was almost traumatic!  It was a day of research – firstly at Land Victoria – Land Information Centre at Laverton [Victoria, Australia], then PROV [Public Record Office Victoria] at North Melbourne.

And it was all my own fault! I’ve been to both archives before, know exactly where they are, and had packed my Historian’s Backpack many times before.

BUT after all the activity in the last few days with input from so many helpful people I was SO nervous that I would forget something or had forgotten something!  It’s a horrible feeling made worse by bumping into people I know who may have followed the Historian’s Backpack saga on Facebook.

Now I have another dilemma – do I add the couple of extra items suggested for the Backpack or do I work on the mass of records I obtained yesterday at Land Victoria and PROV?  Priorities?  Or do I feel another blog coming on – How to prioritise our research – or maybe – How to de-stress your research?  Oh, the mind is working overtime.

A chuckle always helps with de-stressing!  Of course I was showing off my new Aussie Loos app to Pam [my co-researcher].  We were leaving Laverton and Pam said she wanted to leave Cherry Lane in the opposite direction as we could see the freeway and it was bumper to bumper – she was sure we could come out somewhere on our “normal” route to PROV and bypass the pain of trying to get back on the freeway.  As I already had Aussie Loos open to see nearest Loos, I just moved the map to follow our potential route – and not only did we find the shortcut avoiding the freeway totally [went over the top of it twice], we got to PROV early with plenty of time to use their Loos [which of course weren’t and shouldn’t have been on the map].

A most satisfying day all round!

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