Australian Joint Copying Project: Admiralty - ADM

Admiralty Office records

Browse these records online via Trove.

The bulk of the Admiralty records filmed by the Australian Joint Copying Project were grouped by the Public Records Office (now known as National Archives UK) under the heading 'Admiralty and Secretariat'. The types of records microfilmed include correspondence, lists of ships and log books.

Contents of reels have not been described in detail or individual items indexed, however a general description of reel contents may be found in the Australian Joint Copying Project Handbook, Part 7, Admiralty produced jointly by the National Library of Australia and the State Library of New South Wales. 

ADM 1 - Admiralty and Secretariat - papers

The earliest records in this class consist of in-letters only, but from 1869 copies of out-letters, minute sheets and other subject related papers were all grouped together. From 1840 correspondence is arranged chronologically. Information found in this class includes correspondence with various departments of the Admiralty, with other offices, admirals' despatches, captains' and lieutenants' letters, letters from private individuals, organisations and companies, reports of courts martial, orders-in-council and other records.

ADM 51 - Admiralty and Secretariat -  log books, captains' logs etc

The log books and journals filmed from ADM 51 and ADM 52 are mainly for ships on voyages to the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. These log books and journals were kept by various crew members. In addition to the usual details about weather and the ships' movements, these records often contain personal comments of the writers on the voyages and ports of call.

ADM 52 - Admiralty and Secretariat - log books, ships' logs etc

ADM 101 - Medical Departments - registers, medical journals

This class includes journals kept by the surgeons on convict ships 1816 - 1856, mostly travelling to Australia, and emigrant ships 1825 - 1853 bound for Australia and New Zealand.