Cover image for Letterbooks of General Outward Correspondence.
Series:
Letterbooks of General Outward Correspondence.
Series Number:
Access:
Open
Start Date:
21 Nov 1820
End Date:
24 Feb 1912
Excludes Dates:
03 Oct 1846 - 06 Feb 1857
Creating Agency:
01 Jan 1825
Controlling Series:
GO57 Registers of Outward Correspondence.01 Oct 187828 Feb 1902
Series notes:
The characteristics of these volumes vary considerably according to the period, the chief differences being found between those before and those after the establishment of responsible government. Since the series begins before the establishment of the office of Colonial Secretary, much of the correspondence in the first volume (to 1824) is signed by the Lieutenant-Governor himself; the letters are addressed to the Northern Commandant (see CSO36), the Commandant at Macquarie Harbour (see CSO43), the Deputy Surveyor (see CSO38) and other officials. From the beginning of Arthur's period, as well as to officials and settlers within the Colony, many letters are addressed to British Departments (War Office, Treasury, Under-Secretary, Navy Commissioners) and to the Governors of other Australian colonies; often the letters are of a semi-personal nature: the eighth volume is confined to personal letters, covering the same period as GO52/7 (1837-43). Many are addressed to those officials who claimed the right to direct communication with the Governor and to settlers with whom the Governor was on terms of personal acquaintance. From 1857 many of the letters are of a more formal character, concerning the ceremonial functions of the Governor; many are signed by the Aide-de-Camp or the Private Secretary. Copies of the Governor's more important letters for the period 1857-86 were kept in a separate letterbook, not now available. From 1886 the nature of the correspondence again changes, becoming more official in character and including the Governors of other colonies and the Governor-General among the addressees.

These records are part of the holdings of the Tasmanian Archives
System of Arrangement:
To 1846 each volume (except the first) carries its own index of addressees, with subentries indicating the subject; the period 1869-74 is covered by a register, giving details of subject; and from 1878 to 1902 some letters are registered in GO57.
Items: