Obtaining information from the archives

Much of the material contained in the parish archives is not generally made available to members of the public. Most general enquiries can be resolved by access to the same information kept by better-resourced and better-staffed facilities. Records that are available elsewhere are listed below.

Personal viewings of material in the parish archives are rarely permitted. They are usually arranged to allow for the viewing of large amounts of information not readily available from other sources. (For example, early choral music scores, minute books of the Parochial Association and other administrative records). People enquiring after this sort of material will usually be professional historians.

All appropriate enquiries (that is, ones that cannot be answered elsewhere) should be be sent in writing (addressed to the Archivist) to the Parish office (see Contact Us).

We also expect a donation of at least $20.00 for the Archivist accessing the Parish's historical collections on behalf of others.

Parish registers

People asking about the contents of Registers are advised that microfilmed copies have been produced by the Society for Australian Genealogists. These would be available at the SAG's rooms. A set is also available in the Original Materials Reading Room at the Mitchell Library. The contents of the reels are as follows:

SAG 114
 * Marriages, 6 Jan 1845-6 June 1892
SAG 115
 * Marriages, 8 June 1892-17 Nov 1915
SAG 116
 * Marriages, 18 Nov 1915-15 Jan 1927
SAG 117
 * Marriages, 29 Jan 1927-31 Aug 1963
SAG 118
 * Burials, 12 Sep 1842-21 Oct 1856
 * Burials, 6 Mar 1869-7 Dec 1876
 * Parish Minute Books, June 1842-Mar 1915
SAG 15
 * Banns, 1839-1867
 * Baptisms, 1838-1855
 * Marriages, 1838-1844
 * Burials, 1838-1841
SAG 16
 * Baptisms, 1855-1878
 * Marriages, 1845-1856
 * Burials, 1842-1856
 * Burials, 1869-1876
SAG 17
 * Baptisms, Oct 1878-Sep 1901
SAG 18
 * Baptisms, 1838-1845
 * Marriages, 1838-1844
 * Burials, 1838-1841
 * Banns, 1839-1867

Up to 1856 the registers (Marriages, Baptisms and Burials) were also copied by the parish and deposited at the Diocesan Registry - these are now stored at the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. All births, deaths and marriages were subject to civil registration from 1856 and these details are available from the Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages.

A case could, however, be made for requesting information on baptisms from 1856 (as these were then not subject to civil registration). We do not provide photocopies of the Registers as this damages the books. The archives merely issues an uncertified extract of the information recorded in the registers so far as it is legible.

Parish newsletters

A set of Monthly Papers covering the period from 1898 to the mid 1930s is kept at the Mitchell Library. The full listing can be viewed on the State Library's computer catalogue (available on the Internet at http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/search ).

Photographs

A representative selection of images of the interior and exterior of the Church at different periods and a collection of photographs of all former Rectors may be viewed on this website.