Tasmanian Government
LINC Tasmania
Tasmania's Heritage

Agency Details

Agency Number: TA58
Title: COMMISSARIAT DEPARTMENT
Start Date: 01 Jan 1804
End Date: 31 Dec 1895
Description:

Provide food, clothing and other stores. In the early years the Commissariat (or Government Store) also served the general population. Initially established in each British colony under the control of the Governor, in 1813 an Office of the Commissary-General was created within the Imperial Army but subject to the Treasury, and in each colony the local Commissariat Department operated as a Branch of the imperial Office until its abolition in 1830. Unlike other colonies New South Wales and Van Diemens Land, because of their isolation and the number of convicts they were responsible for, continued to operate Commissary Departments on their Imperial Establishments. Most of the Commissariats responsibilities for colonial finances were transferred to the colonial Treasury when it was established in 1824 and the rest to the colonial Audit Department created in 1826. The Commissariat Department continued to serve the imperial establishment, expanding with it and ultimately contracting to the point where its sole remaining function was the payment of imperial pensions. In 1895 it was transferred to the colonial Treasury as the Imperial Pensions Branch.
Information Sources:

Legislation Administered:

Legislation Creating:

Administrative action (Imperial)
Legislation Abolishing Agency:

Functions Performed:
• 10 GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND GOVERNANCE [1]
Controlling Agencies:
• TA315 GOVERNOR'S OFFICE 01 Jan 1825
Subsequent Agencies:
• TA91 TREASURY DEPARTMENT 01 Jan 1824 17 Jul 1989
• TA57 AUDIT DEPARTMENT 01 Jan 1826 03 Feb 1993
Related Agencies:
• TA60 CONVICT DEPARTMENT 01 Jan 1818 31 Dec 1877
Series Created By Agency:
• CD6  REGISTER OF THE ISSUE OF PAINTS, PAINTING SUPPLIES, GLASS AND OTHER MATERIAL FROM THE STORE. 14 Aug 1824 10 Mar 1826
• CD7  ALPHABETICAL REGISTER OF STORES ISSUED FROM THE ORDNANCE MAGAZINE. 02 Jul 1827 10 Mar 1828
• CD8  REGISTER OF ARTICLES ISSUED FROM THE ORDNANCE MAGAZINE FOR CHURCH AND SCHOOL ESTABLISHMENTS. 19 Feb 1828 15 Feb 1831
• AC811  MONTHLY ABSTRACTS AND RETURNS OF PROVISIONS ISSUED FROM HIS MAJESTY'S MAGAZINES AT BRIGHTON. 01 Dec 1828 30 Jun 1830
• CD9  LEDGERS SHOWING QUARTERLY TOTALS OF GOODS RECEIVED AND ISSUED BY THE COLONIAL STORE. 01 Jan 1830 31 Mar 1835
• CD11  DAILY REGISTER OF ARTICLES ISSUED FROM THE COLONIAL STORE. 01 Jan 1830 31 Mar 1835
• CD12  INDEX TO DAILY REGISTER OF ARTICLES ISSUED FROM THE COLONIAL STORE. 01 Jan 1830 31 Dec 1835
• CD20  REGISTER OF RECEIPT INTO THE COLONIAL STORE OF MATERIALS ORDERED SHOWING SOURCE OF SUPPLY AND, FOR GOODS BOUGHT BY TENDER OR ON SPECIAL PURCHASE AUTHORITY, PRICE PAID. 05 Jan 1830 31 Mar 1835
• CD13  REGISTER OF ARTICLES BORROWED BY VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS FROM THE COLONIAL STORE. 02 Oct 1830 29 Mar 1831
• CD14  LIST OF ALL STORES ISSUED TO THE CIVIL ENGINEERS' DEPARTMENT. 01 Jan 1832 31 Dec 1833
• CD15  CHECK LIST OF THE CONTENTS OF CASES DESPATCHED WITH COLONIAL OR CONVICT STORES. 15 Jun 1832 18 Jan 1834
• CD21  DRAFT LISTS OF SUPPLIES REQUIRED BY THE COLONIAL STORE, AND ADVERTISED FOR TENDER. 19 Jun 1832 14 Jan 1834
• CD10  INDEX TO LEDGERS SHOWING QUARTERLY TOTALS OF GOODS RECEIVED AND ISSUED BY THE COLONIAL STORE. 01 Oct 1832 31 Mar 1835
• CD37  MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS RELATING TO STORES. 01 Jan 1833 31 Dec 1853
• CD38  HALF YEARLY ESTIMATES OF STATIONERY REQUIRED BY THE COLONIAL ESTABLISHMENTS. 01 Jan 1833 30 Jun 1842
• CD16  DAILY REGISTER OF ARTICLES ISSUED FROM THE COLONIAL STORE WITH SIGNATURE OF PERSON ACCEPTING DELIVERY. 25 Apr 1833 06 Mar 1836
• CD17  REGISTER OF ARTICLES RECEIVED OR ISSUED BY THE COLONIAL STORE UNDER GENERAL AUTHORITIES BASED ON REGULAR MONTHLY ESTIMATES. 22 Jul 1833 24 Feb 1836
• CD1  ORDNANCE STOREKEEPERS' INWARD CORRESPONDENCE. 06 Aug 1833 18 Nov 1835
• CD22  LIST OF ARTICLES RECEIVED FROM CONTRACTORS, KINGS YARD AND OTHER SOURCES. 01 Oct 1833 30 Jun 1835
• CD18  AUTHORITIES FOR THE PERIODIC ISSUE OF ITEMS FROM THE COLONIAL STORE. 01 Nov 1833 29 Feb 1836
• CD23  AUTHORITIES ISSUED TO ENABLE THE ORDNANCE STOREKEEPER TO PURCHASE STORES AND INDIVIDUAL TENDERS RECEIVED. 12 Dec 1833 06 Jun 1835
• CD24  RECEIPTS FOR ARTICLES RECEIVED AT THE COLONIAL STORE. 07 Jan 1834 08 May 1839
• CD25  TENDERS FOR THE SUPPLY OF MATERIALS TO THE COLONIAL STORE, WITH SCHEDULES. 25 Feb 1834 31 Jan 1836
• CD26  MERCHANTS' BILLS FOR ARTICLES SUPPLIED TO THE COLONIAL STORE. 01 Mar 1834 31 Jan 1836
• CD39  DRAFT INVENTORY OF ITEMS IN THE COLONIAL STORE. 31 Mar 1834 31 Mar 1834
• CD4  INDEX TO DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY - GENERALS' LETTERBOOK. 10 Apr 1834 10 Dec 1835
• CD27  WAY BILL FOR THE DELIVERY OF STORES TO COLONIAL ESTABLISHMENTS. 10 Jun 1834 17 Feb 1836
• CD28  SCHEDULES OF TENDERS RECEIVED FOR STORES ADVERTISED BY THE ASSISTANT COMMISSARY- GENERAL. 15 Aug 1834 22 Aug 1834
• CD29  REGISTER OF PURCHASES BY THE COLONIAL STORE SHOWING WHEN TENDERS CALLED, OR HOW SUPPLIED IF NOT BY TENDER. 01 Oct 1834 31 Jan 1835
• CD30  SEMI-MONTHLY SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTS DUE TO MERCHANTS FOR DELIVERY OF STORES TO THE ORDNANCE MAGAZINE. 01 Oct 1834 29 Feb 1836
• CD31  REGISTER OF INTER-DEPARTMENTAL REQUISITIONS MADE BY THE COLONIAL STORE. 29 Oct 1834 02 Feb 1836
• CD19  REGISTER OF INTER-DEPARTMENTAL ISSUES MADE BY THE COLONIAL STORE. 03 Nov 1834 03 Mar 1836
• CD32  ORDERS, BILLS AND RECEIPTS RELATING TO STORES PURCHASED BY THE COLONIAL STORE. 20 Jan 1835 26 Oct 1835
• CD33  ALPHABETICAL LEDGER OF RECEIPT AND ISSUE OF STORES. 01 Apr 1835 29 Feb 1836
• CD34  REGISTER OF CONTRACTORS RECEIPTS FOR ARTICLES SUPPLIED TO THE COLONIAL STORE SHOWING PRICE PAID AS PER TENDER OR AS A SPECIAL PURCHASE AUTHORITY. 08 Apr 1835 01 Mar 1836
• CD35  REGISTER OF COLONIAL STORE TENDER AND SPECIAL AUTHORITY PURCHASES. 27 May 1835 30 Jan 1836
• CD3  DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY-GENERALS' LETTERBOOK. 10 Apr 1836 10 Dec 1836
• CD5  DEPARTMENTAL ORDERS AND MEMORANDA. 20 Dec 1839 05 Jan 1867
• CD40  REGULATIONS, SCALES OF DIETS, SAMPLES OF FORMS, RULES GOVERNING ISSUE OF STORES, ETC., FOR THE GUIDANCE OF INSTITUTIONS CONNECTED WITH THE CONVICT DEPARTMENT. 01 Jan 1845 31 Dec 1856
• CD42  MONTHLY ACCOUNT OF STORES RECEIVED, ISSUED AND REMAINING AT THE MAGAZINE, MACQUARIE HARBOUR. 01 Apr 1846 31 Oct 1847
• CD43  CORRESPONDENCE WITH T. H. LEMPRIERE, COMMISSARIAT OFFICE, MACQUARIE HARBOUR. 01 Aug 1846 30 Apr 1847
• CD36  COPIES OF BONDS ENTERED INTO BY SUPPLIERS OF GOODS, CONTRACTS DRAWN UP BY PURVEYORS OF SERVICES, AND SOME ASSOCIATED CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING VICTUALLING AND TRANSPORT OF TROOPS A 01 May 1856 30 Nov 1859
• CD2  CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PAYMASTER-GENERALS' OFFICE, LONDON, TO THE COMMISSARIAT OFFICER- IN-CHARGE OF THE TREASURY CHEST, HOBART. 13 Dec 1861 14 Dec 1865
• CD41  VOUCHERS FOR IMPERIAL FUNDS EXPENDED IN THE VICTUALLING AND PAYMENT OF TROOPS, CONVICT SERVICES ETC. 01 Jan 1868 31 Dec 1869