Colonial Office Records

Browse these records online via Trove.

The Colonial Office was responsible for the administration of the Crown colonies and for communications between Britain and the self-governing colonies. Its records therefore contain an enormous amount of information relating to the six Australian colonies, New Zealand, New Guinea and Fiji. Until the colonies became self-governing in the 1850s almost total power was exercised by the Governors. Their despatches dealing with all aspects of colonial life make up the main series of records. Of most importance are the Enclosures accompanying each despatch - statistical returns, reports of officials, letters and petitions from private individuals and newspaper and other printed items, many of which have marginal annotations made by departmental officials.

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 2, Colonial Office produced jointly by the National Library of Australia and the State Library of New South Wales.

CO 13 - South Australia - original correspondence

Reel No.	Date Range	INCOMPLETE set
305 - 310	1831 - 1837

CO 201 - New South Wales - original correspondence

(including Tasmania up to 1825)

Reel No.	Date Range	COMPLETE set of CO 201
1 - 55	1784 - 1821
98 - 214	1821 - 1837
311 - 411	1838 - 1860
619 - 681	1850 - 1860
1806 - 1903	1861 - 1900

CO 207 - New South Wales - entry books relating to convicts

Reel No.	Date Range	COMPLETE set of CO 207
57 - 59	1788 - 1867

CO 225 - Western Pacific - original correspondence

Reel No.	Date Range	COMPLETE set of CO 225
2277 - 2345	1872 - 1902
2861 - 2882	1903 - 1909
2914 - 2942	1910 - 1913
3094 - 3097	1912

CO 280 - Tasmania* original correspondence - Secretary of State

(*before 1825 see CO 201)

Reel No.	Date Range	COMPLETE set of CO 280
230 - 287	1824 - 1849
475 - 577	1838 - 1849
687 - 752	1849 - 1860
1963 - 1994	1865 - 1900
2971 - 2981	1861 - 1864

CO 323 - Colonies General - original correspondence

Reel No.	Date Range	INCOMPLETE set
986	1834 - 1845

CO 385 - Emigration - Australia - letters from Secretary of State

Reel No.	Date Range	INCOMPLETE set
865	1855 - 1871

CO 386 - Land and Emigration Commission

(South Australian content)

Reel No.	Date Range	INCOMPLETE set
866-868	1838 - 1844
874-875	1836 - 1894
987	1834 - 1874

CO 396 - South Australia - entry books of correspondence

Reel No.	Date Range	COMPLETE set of CO 396
876	1834 - 1844
877	1842 - 1849
878	1849 - 1854
879	1849 - 1861
880	1864 - 1866
881	1867 - 1873

CO 419 - Fiji - register of correspondence

Reel No.	Date Range COMPLETE set of CO 419
2899	1888 - 1898 This item is on ADM 51, Reel 2900

CO 514 - South Australia - register of out-letters

Reel No.	Date Range	COMPLETE set of CO 514
2675	1873 - 1900

Locating information

CO 201, Reels 1 - 1903
Extract from the AJCP Handbook, Part p, Colonial Office, p.39 - 54
CO 280, reels 230 - 2981
Extract from the AJCP Handbook, Part 2, Colonial Office, p.87 - 95
CO 13, Reels 305 - 310
Extract from AJCP Handbook, Part 2, Colonial Office, p. 81
CO 207, Reels 57 - 59
Extract from AJCP Handbook, Part 2, Colonial Office, p.59
CO 225, Reels 2277 - 3097
Extract from AJCP Handbook, Part 2, Colonial Office, p.115 - 118
CO 323, Reel 986
Extract from AJCP Handbook, Part 2, Colonial Office, p.144
CO 385, Reel 865
Extract from AJCP Handbook, Part 2, Colonial Office, p.167
CO 386, Reels 866 - 987
Extract from AJCP Handbook, Part 2, Colonial Office, p.167 - 169
CO 396, Reels 876 - 881
Extract from AJCP Handbook, part 2, Colonial Office, p.84
CO 419, Reel 2899
Extract from AJCP Handbook, Part 2, Colonial Office, p.34
CO 514, Reel 2675
Extract from AJCP Handbook, Part 2, Colonial Office, p.84

Below are extracts from the Australian Joint Copying Project Handbook, Part 2 - Colonial Office that may be of assistance when looking for more detail.

Some of the extracts below have been marked with yellow highlighter. This indicates which reels the Library has in its collection where the holdings are not complete for that Class.

UK National Archives

Recently the UK National Archives began a Digital Microfilm Project to allow access to its most used items. Amongst the documents currently uploaded are items from the Colonial Office. Items are grouped by Class (e.g. CO 207) and many of the documents are very large. For more details go to Digital Microfilm Project, UK National Archives.

Australian Joint Copying Project: Colonial Office Records - CO