Tasmanian Convict Record Abbreviations

by Maree Ring

© Maree Ring 2017. All rights reserved

Introduction
Acknowledgements
Explanation of Convict Records
Abbreviations used in Convict Records
Name Abbreviations
Occupations
Place Names
Abbreviations Used In Other Records
Irish Transportation Records
Records from the UK

INTRODUCTION

This was first published in 1993 when I intended this guide to help with the transcription of the records of those convicts who served their time in Van Diemen´s Land. It's need was established when I first began tutoring classes entitled "Researching Tasmanian Convicts" with Adult Education.

The records of the convict systems differ from period to period and within each type of record.

Records on convicts and their sentences and offences in the colony were not begun until 1825 when Edward Cook, a law-stationer under a life sentence arrived here. He was put to work to compile a series of "Black Books" [now known as CON 31 for men and CON 40 for women] containing particulars of convicts who had arrived since the Calcutta in 1804. [Guide to the Public Records of Tasmania, Section Three, Convict Department.] http://www.archives.tas.gov.au/guides/Con_guide.pdf

However, by 1825, some of those convicts who arrived on the Calcutta had long since died or left the colony, and their name is not recorded. Similarly there is little, if any information for those who arrived and had served their sentence prior to 1825, those who came in through New South Wales may have records from that state. Now in 2005 this is being rectified by research of early records.

Later records give more information on the appearance and family of individuals. The records of those who arrived during the assignment system and progressed to the probation system have a P/Pn marked on their record in the column on the left of the page under their Police number. The records of those who arrived within the probation period (June, 1840 for men and 1844 for women) note by initials where they had served their probation, and have to whom or the place of assignment noted.

Abbreviations have been unfailingly used on convict records and these varied a little, probably at the whim of the clerk.

I have included abbreviations of names, occupations and place names.

It is probable that I have missed some abbreviations, so you may care to advise me to add to this.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Robyn Eastley, Archives Office of Tasmania for her help in preparation of this and Meryl Yost for her kindness in hosting this dissertation on this site.

EXPLANATION OF CONVICT RECORDS

Note: not all the following records are available for every convict.

CON 14 = indents of male convicts, Nov. 1827, Aug. 1831, Aug. 1835, Aug./Sept. 1838, Feb. 1841 - May 1853.

CON 15
=
indents of female convicts 11 Sept. 1839, 19 Apr. - 21 Apr. 1853.

CON 18
=
description lists of male convicts 1828 - 1853.

CON 19
=
description lists of female convicts 1841 - 1853.

CON 31
=
male conduct registers 1812 - 1840.

CON 32 = male and female conduct registers, Supplementary Volumes

CON 33
=
male conduct registers 1840 - 1853.

CON 40
=
female conduct registers 1820 - 1843.

CON 41
=
female conduct register 1844 - 1853.

* applies to records CON 33 and CON 41 only.

** refers to descriptions of persons or family members.

Top left margin police number which was given on arrival

Top left hand corner name; length of sentence

´Tried´ place and date of trial - Assizes, Central Criminal Court; Middlesex Gaol Delivery (CCC; MGD = Old Bailey, London), Court of Justiciary (Scotland), Court Martial, Great Sessions, Oyer and Terminer [Norman French for 'to hear and determine'], Quarter Sessions, Session of Pleas.

´Embarked´ * date of sailing from UK

´Arrived´ * date of arrival, Hobart

Religion * Protestant, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic

Education * R & W = read and write;
B = both, read and write;
N = neither read nor write

´Transported for

statement of sentence

"Gaol report" from prison in England -

marital status, M or S = married or single

"stated this offence" = convict's statement of what he was transported for, includes any previous offences

"Hulk report" = behaviour on ships used as prisons in England

"Surgeon´s report" = doctor's report of convicts health and behaviour during the voyage.

Description * = physical description of convict (police photographs have taken over this role) abbreviations below

´Marks´ = tattoos, scars, moles and other distinguishing marks

´Station of Gang´ * = Probation Station where convict employed

´Class´ * = Probation Pass Holder [P.P.H.] - 3 classes of pass were issued varying in degrees of restriction and wages.

´Offences and Sentences´ - conduct in the colony while still under sentence

date of offence

place of employment or employer [and town]

offence/ sentence/ magistrates initials or APM\PM/ 'vide Lieut. Gov's Memo/Decision' (these memos have not survived)

´Remarks´ *

refer to health/behaviour whilst under first stage of probation

name of employer and residence and any notable events during convicts' period of transportation, e.g. capture of bushranger, applying for indulges (TL/CP)

Remarks on bottom of page of CON 31, CON 40 and along margin side of page of CON 33 and CON 41 indicate the areas/towns to which the convict was assigned.

* applies to records CON 33 and CON 41 only.

** refers to descriptions of persons or family members.

# the following abbreviations also use the old fashioned long ´f´ then ´s´ indicating ´ss´.

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN CONVICT RECORDS

abs^(d) absconded

Absent^g Absenting

ab^t about

accor^g according

acc^t account

act^g acting

add(it)ⁿ addition

admon^d admonished

ag^t against

APM Assistant Police Magistrate

app^d approved

appreh^d apprehended

Apt^s apartment(s), see Sep Apts

Ass # Assize

assault^g assaulting

ass^d # assigned

assign^t # assignment

b & w bread and water

B both - can both read and write

B ** Brother(s)

B^d Board - in the context of on that same ship

Beat^g beating

Bks Barracks

blk ** black

bro ** brown

Cal calendar

Calr also calendar

CCC Central Criminal Court, London, also known as the Old Bailey

Cert Certificate (of Freedom)

Ch Gang Chain Gang

Ch^r character

chs chains

C.H. Colonial Hospital

Col^(l) Colonial

Co. Justic^y Court of Justiciary (Scotland)

com^d committed

Comm^d commended

compl^t complaint

conceal^g concealing

Con^d Conditional (Pardon)

conf^(d) confined

conf^(t) confinement

Connex^ns connections (relation(ship)s)

Const^le Constable

convt^(d) convict(ed)

CP Conditional Pardon

CPM Chief Police Magistrate

Ct Ml Court Martial

CS Colonial Service/Servitude

D & D drunk and disorderly

D. [Lⁿ] District [of Launceston]

DC District Constable

Decisⁿ decision

Disch^d discharged

dism(iss)^d dismissed

disobc^e disobedience

disord^y disorderly

distribut^g distributing

dis(turb)^g disturbing

do ditto (a repetition of information)

D.P. Deputy Purveyor (in regard to death and subsequent purchase? of coffin)

E.R. Ecclesiastically revoked (in regard to obtaining permission to marry - for reasons unexplained the Church revoked permission to marry.)

Evid^ce evidence

exam(inat)ⁿ examination

ext^d extended

exist^g existing

expirⁿ expiration

F ** Father

F in L(aw) ** Father in law; not the current meaning of the spouse's father, but an old meaning of step-father

FHC Female House of Correction

F^(y)/Fac(t^y) Factory

f^m from

Gaz^d gazetted, notice usually in Hobart Town Gazette

GD Gaol Delivery

Gov^t Government

G^t Great Sessions

GS General Sessions

H ** Husband

H (of) C(orrⁿ) House of Correction

hd lab or HL hard labour

h^h high

Hosp^l hospital

Imp^t/impri^t imprisonment

ins ** inside (part of body)

inst instant (date of the current month)

intenⁿ intention

intoxⁿ intoxication

L ** large (description)

L lashes

L(ieu)^t G(ovⁿ) D(ecⁿ) Lieutenant Governor's Decision

Lieut Gov M(emo) Lieutenant Governor´s Memo both of above usually with the latin ´vide´. Record of these decisions or memos have not survived.

Lod^g lodging

l^t ** left (side)

lt ** light (colouring)

Ly lazy

M Married

M ** mother

mak^g making

Middx Middlesex (see MGD)

med^m medium description

mess^r # messenger

MGD Middlesex Gaol Delivery see CCC

M.H. ** medium high

M.L. ** medium length

M.S. ** medium size

M.W. ** medium width

misc(ond)^t misconduct

morn^g morning

mos months

mths months

N neither (read nor write)

NP/N.P(lace) native place

obt^g obtaining

orig^l original

O & T Oyer and Terminer, referring to court sessions, often followed by GD

P/Pn Probation (added after changing from Assignment system)

P(rot) Protestant

partⁿ partition

P.B./ P Bks Prisoner Barracks

perpen perpendicular

P E L'ton Prison Establishment, Launceston

Ppendic perpendicular (referring to shape of forehead)

Petⁿ petition

P.O. Police Office

Possⁿ # possession

PPH Probation Pass Holder

Prin^l Principal

pris^r prisoner

Pr (os) Prosecutor

prob(at)ⁿ probation

prop^y property

p(r)t^y party

PS Office Principal Superintendant (of Convicts) Office

P.W. Public Works

Q O School Queen's Orphan School

Q.S. Quarter Sessions

RC Roman Catholic

r^d received

R^d pt^y road party

recom(m)^d recommended

red^h ** reddish (colouring)

remov^d removed

reprim^d reprimanded

resid^ce residence

resist^g resisting

ret^d returned

RL reads (a) little

R/N Read/None - able to read; not able to write

r^t ** right (side)

R&W Read and Write

S single

S ** unmarried sister(s)

S ** small (description)

Sat^y Saturday

Sec^y Secretary (Col. Sec.)

Sent^ce sentence

Sep Apt^s separate apartment(s)

serv^(e) service

Sessⁿ Session (of Pleas)

sol/solit^y Solitary

st(eal)^g stealing

Sup^t Superintendent

Susp^d suspected/suspended

Td Wl tread wheel

threat^g threatening

TL Ticket of Leave

t^m term

transp^d transported

transpor(t)ⁿ transportation

T. Wheel tread wheel

Ux Uxor (uxor Latin = "wife". Where a convict has married and may have been assigned to the husband. The surname noted is the husband's.)

vide latin 'see' - see also LGD

W ** wife

with^t without

writ^g writing

yest^y yesterday

yrs years

NAME ABBREVIATIONS

Bernh^(d) Bernhard

Cath^(e) Catherine

Ch(a)^s Charles

Edw^d Edward

Eliz^(t)h Elizabeth

Fred^k Frederick

Geo George

H^y Henry

Jas James

Jn^o John

Jos Joseph

Josh Joshua

M.A. Mary Ann(e)

Marg^(t) Margaret

Mich^l Michael

Pat^k Patrick

R(ich)^d Richard

Rob^t Robert

Sam^(l) Samuel

Tho^s Thomas

W^m William

OCCUPATIONS

Farms farm servant

F servant do

FWK frame work knitter

Gard gardener

Ho house (maid/servant)

Impt imperfect (tradesman - unqualified?)

Lab Labourer

Md maid (see also Ho)

Pl C(ook) plain cook

Plo´ plough(man)

Serv^t servant

W^m woman

PLACE NAMES

A. Ponds Antill Ponds

Bag^d Bagdad

Beacon^d Beaconsfield

B(t)ⁿ Brighton

B. M. Broad Marsh

Brd Marsh Broad Marsh

B(r) R Brown's River (now Kingston)

B.W. Bridgewater

Casc Cascades (female factory, Hobart) or on Tasman's Peninsula for males

C. Head Circular Head

C. Mines Coal Mines

C(onstⁿ) Hill Constitution Hill

C.Town Campbell Town

Darlⁿ Darlington (Maria Island)

Del Deloraine

Elizth St. Elizabeth Street (Hobart)

F. Fingal

Fls Island Flinders Island

G. Gaol (usually followed by a place name)

G. Ponds Green Ponds (now Kempton)

G^(eo)T(own) George Town

G.S. Port Greater Swan Port

G.T. H(ill) Grass Tree Hill (road party)

Glen^y Glenorchy

Ham⁽ⁿ⁾ Hamilton

Hob^(t) Hobart

H.T(own) Hobart (Town)

I. Bay Ida Bay

Imp Bay Impression Bay

Jer(us)^m Jerusalem (now Colebrook)

Jer/o Jericho

L. Point Long Point

L^(y). B^(ks) Lovely Banks

Launcⁿ Launceston

L(to)ⁿ Launceston

Longf^d Longford

L/pool St. Liverpool Street, Hobart

Ly Banks Lovely Banks

Macq. St. Macquarie Street, Hobart

McQuarrie St. Macquarie Street, Hobart

M.I. Maria Island

N.N. New Norfolk

N.Plains Norfolk Plains, now Longford

N.R. Nicholls Rivulet

Oatl^d Oatlands

Oat^s Oatlands

O. Cove Oyster Cove

Ptn Picton

P. Puer Point Puer

Pont^(v)e Pontville

P(t.) A Port Arthur

Pt. P Point Puer

P. Esperance Port Esperance

R. Ross

R.H. Rocky Hills

R. Hills Rocky Hills

Rich^d Richmond

S.M.C. Seven Mile Creek, near Victoria Valley, Hamilton

S.M. Pass St Marys Pass

S. Port Southport

S.W.C. Saltwater Creek, see proper name S.W.R.

S.W.R. Saltwater River

T Bridge Tunbridge

Tunb Tunbridge

Westb^y Westbury

* applies to records CON 33 and CON 41 only.

** refers to descriptions of persons or family members.

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN OTHER RECORDS

AJCP Australian Joint Copying Project, records from PRO, London and CRO's available on microfilm in selected libraries including AOT.

ADM = Admiralty, (naval matters includes surgeon's reports for convict ships), found in handbook part 7

AO = Exchequer and Audit Dept., found in handbook part 7

BT = Board of Trade, found in handbook part 6

CO = Colonial Office, found in handbook part 2

DO = Dominion's Offices, found in handbook part 10

FO = Foreign Office, found in handbook part 5

HO = Home Office, (convicts) found in handbook part 3

MT = Ministry of Transport, found in handbook part 7

PC = Privy Council, found in handbook part 7

PCOM = Prisons Commissions

PMG = Paymaster General's Office, found in handbook part 7

T = Treasury, found in handbook part 7

WO = War Office, (army) found in handbook part 4

AONSW Archives Office of New South Wales, some of these records are held at AOT.

AOT Archives Office of Tasmania, hold Tasmanian Government and other records, see booklet by Neil Chick and Lilian Watson (now out of print).

Some of the documents from various government departments are referred to by the following abbreviations:

CEN = census

CON = convict

AP absolute pardon

APM Assistant Police Magistrate

AS assigned servant

CF certificate of freedom

CP conditional pardon

FC free certificate

FS free by servitude

TL ticket of leave

NP native place, see earlier explanation

PM Police Magistrate

CSD = Chief Secretary's Department, see CSO

CSO = Colonial Secretary's Office, forerunner of CSD

CUS = Customs Department

ED = Education Department

GD = Gaol Department

GO = Governor's Office

HSD = Health Services Department

LA = Local Authority (forerunner of the municipal council, and can include local cemetery trust and/or road trust records)

LC = Lower Court

LSD = Lands and Survey's Department

MB = Marine Board

MM = microfilm of some Tasmanian related records from ML, NSW.

NS = non state records (includes church records)

POL = Police

RGD = Registrar-General's Department, holder of BDM's

SC = Supreme Court

SWD = Social Welfare Department

Many of the above government departments have had name and administration changes and the policy of AOT is to no longer use the initials of the department, but to designate new agencies by unrepresentative initials of the alphabet.

(Since 1993 when this book was first published, these agencies may have changed name.)

IRISH TRANSPORTATION RECORDS

These records of convicts from Ireland were a bicentennial (1988) gift from the Government of Ireland to the people of Australia.

The indexes on CD-ROM, and corresponding microfilms for these records are available in the reference section of the State Library of Tasmania. Also see the National Archives of Ireland: Ireland - Australia Transportation Database

The following abbreviations have been used in the records.

CRF = Convict Reference Files

FSP = Free Settlers' Papers

MCR = Male Conduct Register

PPC = Prisoners' Petitions and Cases

RCS = Register of Convicts on Ships

TR = Transportation Registers

RECORDS FROM THE UK

OLD BAILEY
Many convicts came from London and were sentenced at the Old Bailey, although the court stated may have been the Sessions of Oyer and Terminer and Gaol Delivery for the City of London and County of Middlesex, sometimes abbreviated to Middlesex Gaol Delivery. From 1834 the court was then known as Central Criminal Court and the courts covered besides the Central Criminal Court, were Essex, Kent and Surrey.

The Old Bailey Session Papers date from 4 December 1776 to 20 November 1870 and are now available online Old Bailey Session Papers

OTHER RECORDS:

SCOTLAND
Inveraray Jail, Scotland’s living 19th century prison – has prisoners listed on their site Inverary Jail

Back to Main Convict Page

Submitted 10-Jun-2005
Revised 25-Sep-2017