COPY Land grants guide, 1788-1856

This guide lists records related to the original alienation of land from the Crown, with parish maps being a useful resource for tracking original grants.

Before Responsible Government in 1856, land administration in NSW was managed by the Colonial Secretary, the Surveyor General, and the Commissioners of Crown Lands. Land records were categorised into two main types:

1. Alienation of Crown lands, leading to the granting of freehold title, referred to as land grants.
2. Occupation of Crown land, often on an annual basis where freehold title was not granted, later referred to as tenure.

Indexes and registers of land grants

Colonial Secretary

• NRS-1217 Indexes to registers of land grants and leases 1810–1856 *ARK

• NRS-1215 Registers of land grants, 1792–30 Dec 1809

These are the earliest grant registers which due to their very fragile condition are not issued.

• NRS-13836 Registers of land grants, 1792–c.1856

• NRS-1216 Registers of land grants and leases, 1832–1856

[7/505-663]; Reels 2705-2714, 1727-1778, 1453-1455

• NRS-1230 Registers of notices of the intention to issue deed of grants of land, 10 Sep 1830–1 Feb 1856

The registers record under the date of notice, the number, person's name, area and portion of land. After 1843 many of the grants are for churches and schools.

• NRS-1223 Abstracts from orders for grants and town allotments, 1822–1826 (COD 67)
• NRS-1224 Certificates of entitlement to land grants for veteran pensioners, Oct–Nov 1823 *ARK (COD 125, Fiche 3263)

Indexed in the published Index to the Colonial Secretary's papers, 1788-1825.

• NRS-1226 Nominal list of land granted and reserved by Sir Thomas Brisbane, 24 May 1824–1 Dec 1825 *ARK (COD 69; Fiche 3269)

Indexed in the published Index to the Colonial Secretary's papers, 1788-1825.

• NRS-1229 Registers of notices of the intention to issue deeds of grant for town allotments, 8 Jun 1830–31 Dec 1845

• Copies of deeds to land grants and leases, 1823–1836

• Copies of deeds of grant to land alienated by grant, 1832–1856

Surveyor General

• NRS-13837 Index to registers of grants, Cumberland and elsewhere, 1792-1865 *ARK

[7/443]; Reel 2560, COD 205

This volume indexes the registers Nos 1-6, that is [7/445], [7/447-449], and [7/450-451], covering all grants to 1819, mainland grants to 1822, and Cumberland grants, 1823-65.

The index is divided into groups of years, viz., 1792-1807, 1810-21, 1816-21, 1822-36, and 1841-65. The indexing is only alphabetical to the first letter of the name. Each index entry shows the number of the volume, the name of the grantee, the area of the grant, the locality and the page number in the register.

(see NRS 13836 below)

• Index to registers of land grants *ARK, 1821-1832

[7/443A]; Reel 2560

Indexes grants other than Cumberland grants (although Sydney town grants are included) ie: volumes [7/452], [7/454], [7/456], [7/459], [7/465-466], [7/468], [7/473], [7/481A], [7/482-485], [7/487-488]. The index was prepared by NSW State Archives.

(see NRS 13836 below)

• NRS-13836 Registers of land grants and leases, 1792-1856

• NRS-13912 Order books for Land Grants, 1811-1839

The volumes usually record date of order, name of promiser, residence, number of acres, by whom ordered, and remarks (usually relating to whether granted or not or how deed issued).

• NRS-13913 List of orders for Land Grants made by Sir Thomas Brisbane, 1821-25

Reel 3144. Alphabetically arranged by year, the list notes name, date of order and number of acres. There is also a List of Individuals who had obtained warrants for the purchase of Crown Lands, April - October 1825.

• NRS-13914 List of grants made in New South Wales, 25 Aug 1812-25 Mar 1821

Reel 2647. Alphabetically arranged by year, the list notes name, date of order and number of acres. There is also a List of Individuals who had obtained warrants for the purchase of Crown Lands, April - October 1825.

Van Diemen’s Land

• NRS-1219 Index to land grants, Van Diemen's Land, 1810-1823 *ARK

[4/438]; Fiche 3262. The index notes name of grantee, number of acres, district and quit rent.

• Index to copies of land grants issued, Van Diemen's Land, 1804-1823

Reel 1988. Original record in Archives Office of Tasmania, series no. LSD404. The index is a typescript so was obviously copied from an earlier record.

• Copies of land grants issued, Van Diemen's Land, 1804-1823

Original records in Archives Office of Tasmania, series no. LSD354. The first volume contains typescript extracts of the entries in the New South Wales Grant Registers relating to land in Tasmania (pp. 1-51).

• Registers giving descriptions of land granted in Van Diemen's Land, 1804–1823

Reel 1988. Original record in Archives Office of Tasmania, series no. LSD405

• NRS-13902 Description book, Van Diemen's Land, 1813

The volume records number, name, district and description of land.

• NRS-1220 Returns of free settlers and other free persons to receive land grants, 1811-1828 *ARK (Fiche)

Reel 2654, Fiche 3266. The returns for 1811-25 are indexed in the published Index to the Colonial Secretary's papers, 1788–1825.

• NRS-1222 Nominal list of persons owing Quit-Rent in Van Diemen's Land, 1811–1813

(Reel 2646, Fiche 3270) The list is indexed in the published Index to the Colonial Secretary's papers, 1788-1825.

Port Phillip

• Port Phillip District – Land and Immigration Receipts, 1849–1851

COD 257. This list and index was compiled by Mr Ian A. Hughes. The receipts are listed in chronological order, 16 May 1849 - 20 June 1851, and this list notes date, name, place and amount pages 1-9. There is also an index to the list on pages 10-15.

Correspondence relating to land grants

Colonial Secretary

• Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788–1825 *ARK

These records are a most valuable source of information relating to land in the Colony and the State of New South Wales.

• NRS-899 Memorials received relating to land, 1810-1826 *ARK

[4/1821-185]; Reels 1066-1080, Fiche 3001-3162

A memorial is a letter of request from an individual for a grant of land. It may provide personal particulars to justify this request for land such as the length of time in the colony, marital status, numbers of children, occupation and livestock numbers.

The memorials are indexed, 1810-25, in the Index to the Colonial Secretary's papers, 1788-1825 (above) and a copy on Reels 1250-1251 covering the full date range, 1810-1826.

• NRS-907 Letters received relating to land, 1826-56

[2/7787-8013]; Reels 1081-1200

• NRS-944 Copies of letters sent to individuals and organisations re land, 2 Jan 1827-17 Nov 1856

These are copies of letters relating to requests for land, refusals, grants, intrusion complaints, petitions to survey, licence fees, forfeiture of runs and so on.

From 13 January 1849 to 26 May 1855 letters re land outside the settled districts are in next series below.

• NRS-945 Copies of letters sent re land outside the settled districts, 13 Jan 1849–26 May 1855

Reel 2313. Copies of letters to individuals relating to the occupation of crown lands. From June 1855 letters of this type are entered in the series above.

Additional sources