Colonial Secretary's Office (New South Wales)

Identity area

Type of entity

State government department

Authorized form of name

Colonial Secretary's Office (New South Wales)

Parallel form(s) of name

    Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

      Other form(s) of name

        Identifiers for corporate bodies

        Description area

        Dates of existence

        1821 - 1975

        History

        On 30 June 1820 Major Frederick Goulburn was commissioned as Colonial Secretary and Registrar of the Records of New South Wales. On 1 January 1821, Frederick Goulburn was officially sworn in and assumed his duties as Colonial Secretary.

        The Colonial Secretary’s Office kept the Registers of Letters, and prepared the financial and statistical Returns of the Colony, which were sent annually to the Secretary of State. The offices of Secretary to the Governor and Colonial Secretary were not separated until May 1824 when Major Ovens was officially appointed Governor Brisbane's Private Secretary.

        Another aspect of the Colonial Secretary’s Duties was as a legislator. The Secretary was an ex officio member of the Legislative Council, which first sat in August 1824. The warrant establishing the Council listed in order of precedence the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Chief Justice, Colonial Secretary, Principal Surgeon, and Surveyor General.

        The most important function of the Colonial Secretary’s office was that it acted as the channel of communications between the Governor, other government offices, and private settlers.

        Places

        Legal status

        Functions, occupations and activities

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        Control area

        Authority record identifier

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        Rules and/or conventions used

        Status

        Level of detail

        Partial

        Dates of creation, revision and deletion

        Description added 8 Jul 2020

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            Sources

            NSW State Archives and Records, Description of Agency AGY-16, https://www.records.nsw.gov.au (accessed 8 Jul 2020)

            Maintenance notes